A road trip with your pet is wonderful when it is planned and stressful when it is not. Use this checklist in the week before you leave.
One week before
- Vet check if your pet is senior, has a health condition, or has not travelled before
- Vaccinations up to date, especially rabies. Carry the vaccination record.
- Tick and flea preventive applied or given on schedule
- Confirm your stay allows pets, and where they can go on the property
- Find a vet near your destination and save the number
- ID tag with your phone number on your pet's collar
Documents
- Vaccination record (a photo on your phone and a printed copy)
- Any prescriptions for medication your pet takes
- Your stay's booking confirmation mentioning your pet
Pack for your pet
- Food: enough for every day, plus one extra day. Do not switch food on a trip.
- Water: a bottle and a travel bowl for the car
- Bedding: a familiar blanket or bed that smells of home
- Leash, harness and a spare leash
- Carrier for cats and small dogs
- Poop bags, wipes and old towels
- Medication and a basic first-aid kit (gauze, bandage, antiseptic, tick remover)
- Toys and a chew to settle them in a new place
On the day
- Light meal three to four hours before leaving. A full stomach makes car sickness more likely.
- A long walk before you set off, so your pet is tired and has relieved itself.
- Secure your pet in a harness, crate or carrier. Never let a pet ride in the front seat or with its head out of the window.
- Keep the car cool and ventilated. Never leave a pet alone in a parked car, even for a few minutes.
- Stop every two to three hours for water and a short walk, on a leash.
At the destination
- Walk the boundary first and look for gaps in fences.
- Set up your pet's bed, water and food in one corner so they have a base.
- Keep to your normal feeding and walking times.
- Check for ticks every evening, especially after walks in grass or plantations.
Signs to stop and get help
Heavy panting that does not settle, repeated vomiting, pale gums, collapse or a dog who will not stand up: stop, cool your pet down and contact the nearest vet.
Getting there without the stress
If your car is not big enough, or your pet travels better with a calm driver and space to lie down, Mylopaws Travel's outstation cabs are planned around your pet's breaks.
Planning where to go? See pet-friendly resorts near Bangalore.