National Pet Travel Safety Day

National Pet Travel Safety Day was on the 2nd January

From seat belts to carriers, make your next adventure a memorable one by taking the necessary precautions for your pet’s safety.

When travelling in the car with your pet there is a few important things to check off your list:

• Do you have a harness?
• Do you have a seatbelt?
• Is your pet relaxed in the car? Do they suffer from car sickness?
• Is your cat in a good, sturdy box?
• Is the box buckled in?
• Are they microchipped and details up to date?

Dogs

For you and your dog’s safety it is important that they are secured when travelling in the car. They should be secured by a harness (not a collar) and attached to a seatbelt. They should be in the back seat (especially bigger dogs that could trigger the airbag). Ideally look for a car safe harness. Some car harnesses have a seatbelt attached. Dogs that are in the boot can be secured with a headrest strap to their harnesses, or you can buy a dog guard to separate the back seats and the boot to keep them secured. Did you know they are required by law to be secured in the car?

Cats

Your cat should be secured in a sturdy cat box, secured with a seatbelt. Hard plastic carriers are recommended as they give more room for your cat to turn around and stretch while still allowing for the feeling of security. They are easy to clean if soiled and more durable than fabric ones. They will also protect your cat better should you be involved in an accident as it has more defence against impact.

If your pet is afraid or sick in the car there is treatment that can help! Ask us about pet travel tips to get your pet used to travelling in the car and how to help them if they are unwell. There is anti-sickness medication that you can speak to the vet about dispensing for your pet if required.

You can use products that mimic pheromones released by a nursing mother (Feliway for cats and Adaptil for dogs). These can be used for nervous pets to offer and overall sense of comfort and security to help them feel more at ease in the car.

As a general rule, it is a good idea to microchip your pet and important to make sure these details are kept up to date so your pet can be returned to you if they are lost. This is very important for travelling as pets could be in unfamiliar surroundings, if you were involved in an accident and your pet ran off it would be essential to get them home.