- Contact hotels ahead of time to find out if they are “pet friendly. Many hotels require a deposit or surcharge for pets—these may or may not be refundable.
- Plan to stop every 3 hours or so to let your dog stretch his legs, drink and relieve himself.
- Do not let your dog off leash at a stop. While chance of injury or getting lost is the greatest concern, one must also consider that leash laws vary from state to state.
- Consider adding your cell phone number to your pet’s i.d. tag. Keep the i.d. tag and your pet’s current rabies tag on their collar while travelling. Consider a microchip as another means of identifying your pet if they get lost far from home.
- Don’t worry if your pet does not have a bowel movement at a rest stop. Changes in routine and anxiety may affect elimination habits and schedules.
- Do not leave your pet in the car for any length of time. Even with the windows cracked, temperatures inside cars can increase by 15 to 20 degrees in less than 10 minutes and will continue to rise to lethal levels very quickly.
- Keep a brush in the car so you can run it quickly over your dog before getting back into the car. This may remove any ticks that have gotten on your pet during the rest stop.
- Avoid sharing fast food or other human treats with your pet as they can lead to digestive problems that may make travel unpleasant for you or may make your pet ill. Pack some pet treats before you leave home.
- Pets can be injured during car accidents or sudden stops. Consider having your pet travel in a crate if possible. Otherwise, you may want to have a seat belt harness for your pet. They come in a variety of sizes. Look for wide straps with lots of padding.
- When you reach your destination locate the nearest 24-hour animal emergency facility so you will be prepared in the event of an emergency.
