How to keep a pet safe at vacation time

Vacation is a wonderful summer tradition. It’s the time of year families gather to explore new places or return to favorite spots.

Did you ever think about including your pet on your vacation? Some folks wouldn’t consider the family complete unless the pet went along for vacation, too.

Just the sound of the word vacation can make me smile. It makes me think of getting my bathing suit ready along with my little ducky float and heading to the beach. I love to chase the waves and then watch them turn around and chase me.

I think of all the wonderful food I’ll eat that’s different than my normal kibbles I have at home. I just get so excited I can hardly stand it. I know we’ll have a blast.

I just naturally believe I’m going on vacation every time my family does. After all, how could they even have fun if I weren’t there? But the reality is I don’t always get to go.

So what do families do if they choose not to take their furbaby with them on vacation? Well, they can leave them at home and hire a baby sitter. My baby sitter is usually my sister, Amanda, so we totally trust her. But if you’re going to hire a sitter, please make sure it’s someone you know, trust and provides references that you actually check out.

Another option is to have your pet boarded at a reputable boarding facility you have visited to see where your baby will stay. If the facility will not allow you to go back and view the actual area your baby will stay, I would move on to the next place.

Now to board your pet, he’ll have to be up to date on all his shots including a bordetella vaccine. And some kennels will not accept a pet if he’s been to the vet’s office within two weeks. That’s because they may have been exposed to something at the vet and about 2 weeks is the general incubation period for diseases. So if you’re planning to board you pets, please have them visit the vet well in advance of your departure date.

But if you decide to take him with you on your trip the most important thing to focus on is safety.

So the first thing to do is to make sure the dog is healthy enough to travel. Let the doctor check him over. While he’s at the vet, have him microchipped with your current address listed on the records.

Then make sure he is wearing a NON-SLIP collar with your name and telephone number embroidered in the material and put ID tags on. Non-slip collars should always be used whenever taking dogs outside of their routine environment.

Why should the collar be a non-slip rather than the usual collar he wears at home? If a dog is startled and has on a regular collar, chances are he can back out of the collar in the blink of an eye and escape. You could end up holding an empty leash with your beloved pet nowhere in sight.

Non-slip collars are designed to tighten if the dog tries to back out of it. They tend to be very secure and almost escape proof if used properly.

Keep your pet in a carrier while driving to your destination. But here’s a very important caution to please heed: keep the carrier inside the car and your pet in clear view. It’s crucial that you watch your pet while he’s in the carrier for signs of distress and to make sure his collar/tags aren’t hung on the grates of the carrier.

Plan your trip around pet friendly locations. A great website to use is www.bringfido.com. They can help you find pet friendly hotels, restaurants where pets can go. More public places than ever before are now allowing pets.

Two other important tips to follow: never, ever leave your pet in a parked car and never leave him tied outside unattended. Even though you may think no one else could possibly want your pet if you tethered him outside a restaurant, you may be surprised to learn dognappers exist. In fact, I recommend already developing a lost dog flier for the pet you’re taking with you on the trip, just in case. I always want to be prepared.

Have fun and stay safe!

This story was originally published July 15, 2016 at 2:49 PM with the headline "How to keep a pet safe at vacation time."