With summer months around the corner, everyone is beginning to plan their vacation getaways. For a lot of people that means setting their pets up in kennels. Inversely, there are a brave few who try to take their furry companions on the road with them. Traveling with pets can be a risky venture if you aren’t prepared for the rigors of the road. Here are a few pet safety tips to get you started.

Always practice proper restraint: Pets aren’t always the best listeners, and in the back of a car that can occasionally prove to be a deadly distraction. It’s a good idea to keep your dog or cat safe and in one place while you’re en route. There are a couple of very simple methods for minimizing movement whenever you take your pet for a ride. Pet harnesses are usually very affordable and effective. They hook up to the seatbelt and hold your pet in place. A pet carrier is a more preferable option. The animal is more likely to feel comfortable in an enclosed space, and being confined they won’t feel the need to roam about inside the car’s cabin.

Smaller Portions Prevent Car Sickness: If you’re planning on taking a road trip with dogs or cats, you’ll need to make a few adjustments to the regular meal schedule. It’s best to serve a small meal first when you take your pet with you on an extended car ride. Half of their regular portion should do the trick. If the trip is longer than 6 hours you might want to intersperse a few snack breaks along the way as well. Also make sure your dog or cat is getting plenty of water.

Don’t Leave Pets in a Parked Car: Trips with pets require constant vigilance. That’s why you must never leave a pet alone in a parked car. This is a ticketable offense under anticruelty laws. Leaving a pet unattended in a parked car can cause harm to the animal. Parked cars can quickly become overheated on a hot day, even in the shade. Prolonged exposure to this sort of environment can quickly dehydrate a dog or cat. It’s also not a good option to leave your windows rolled down. That puts your pet’s safety in jeopardy, and opens up the possibility of theft.

Bring Toys: Just like some people need Sudoku to get through a long drive, pets get bored too. They need a familiar heirloom to keep them from getting overwhelmed by the traveling process. Take a favorite toy, and maybe some kind of cushioning to keep them comfortable. A dog bed would be a perfect example.  The familiarity of the object is important as well. This is because the animal is likely to be confused by an all-new environment with nothing familiar in it.

It boils down to keeping your animal still, nourished, occupied, and under watch. These are key ingredients to remember whenever traveling with pets. Check back soon for more helpful pet information.