What should I bring with me on my trip?

• List of Veterinarians and 24-hour Emergency Hospitals along the way and close to your destination
• To find a listing of Veterinarians & Pet Emergency Hospitals in the United States, contact:

American Animal Hospital Association Search

American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care

SIGN UP TODAY AND GET FREE VET CONSULTATIONS 24/7 THROUGH OUR PARTNERS AT FIRST VET! Click here CitizenShipper & FirstVet Pilot Program

What Identification do I need for the pet: 

• Current color photo of your pet

ID tag should include:

• Owner's name
• Current home address 
• Home phone number

Items for your pet:

• Prescribed medications (adequate supply for the entire duration of the trip and several days' surplus supply, just in case)
• Collar, leash, harness
• Crate
• Bed/blankets
• Toys
• Food and cool, freshwater
• Food and water dishes: Each pet needs their own water and food bowl, absolutely do not use the same bowl for all pets. This can lead to them passing on an infection and virus.

 What should I do to keep my pet safe and healthy?

• Make frequent stops (about every 2-3 hours) to allow your pet to go to the bathroom and get some exercise.
• Properly restrain your pet in the car to prevent injury to your pets and or other drivers.
• Do not let your pet ride in the back of a truck. If your pet must ride in the truck bed, they should be confined in a protective kennel that is secured to the truck to prevent injury.

» AVMA Policy: Transport of Dogs in Motor Vehicles

• Pets should not be allowed to ride with their heads outside the window. Dirt and other debris can enter their eyes, ears, and nose and cause injury or infection.
• Pets should not be allowed to ride on the driver's lap or near the driver's feet. Small pets should be confined in crates or in travel-safe dog beds, and larger pets should be appropriately restrained with harnesses attached to the car's seat belts.
• Cats should be transported in carriers
• Providing a familiar blanket and/or safe toy can help make your pet more comfortable during the trip.
• Properly restrain your pet when traveling in cars or other vehicles, and never leave your pet in your vehicle without you.

Dogs and Cats by Car:

• For either a dog or cat, a cat carrier or portable dog crate is one of the most useful items you can have on an overnight or multi-day road trip. It becomes the pet’s “home-away-from-home,” and you can safely leave the pet in it in your car, motel, or hotel room, or at the wayside, rest stops.

Finally, to make it easier to find pet-friendly hotels along your route, head on over to the pet-friendly road trip planner where you can create and save routes and filter by hotel pet policies and fees.

For convenience, pack a travel kit for your pet including: 

• Supply of pet’s regular food
• Can opener
• Pet’s food and water dishes
• Blanket
• Favorite toy or two
• A few treats
• Comb and/or brush
• A mop-up towel, paper towels or a few newspapers
• Flea or tick repellent if you will be in rural areas
• Scooper and plastic bags to clean up after your pet at motel or campgrounds
• Spray-type room deodorant or air freshener if you will be taking your pet into a motel or hotel room

Trip Tips: Some Dos and Don’ts

• Plan stops at regular intervals to give your pet a drink and a short run. Wayside rest areas make good stopping places.
• Take a container of freshwater along; a too sudden change in drinking water may cause a temporary upset in some dogs.

Never let your dog or cat loose in a strange place. Exercise it on a leash.

Always attach the leash before opening the car door and detach it after the pet is back inside and the door closed. Take care when stopping at filling stations and restaurants. Do not give an excited pet a chance to bolt and become lost it may be gone forever in spite of identification tags.

• It is best not to leave pets in the car at all. Heat can quickly become excessive in a parked car even if it is in the shade, and animals can suffer from heat prostration.
• Keep the car windows rolled up enough to prevent your pet from jumping or falling out.
• Do not let your pet hang its head out of the window. Sore eyes can be caused by dust, grit, and insects in the air; inflamed ears and throat by too much wind.

Source: https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/traveling-your-pet-faq

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