Pet Travel - Make Sure Your Pets are Safe in the Car

Here at Animal Land Pet Movers we relocate pets predominately by air. We have numerous articles regarding the safety record of the airlines and how pet owners can assist.

However, thousands of pets travel by car every day and it is prudent for pets and owners alike to make sure they are properly secured. Below is a great article from our friends over at the Pet Connection Blog.

Keep your pets safe when they’re on the road — and protect yourself as well, in this week’s Pet Connection syndicated column:

Do you secure your pets when they’re riding in the car?

While most cats travel safely in carriers when they travel at all, the question typically draws an uneasy look and an uncomfortable response from even the most conscientious and well-meaning of dog lovers.

The truth is that most dog lovers — including those who wouldn’t think of leaving home without first securing themselves and their children with a seat belt — don’t provide the same protection for their dogs.

The results can be tragic. Unrestrained pets cause more than 30,000 accidents annually, according to the American Automobile Association, injuries and even fatalities that could in many cases have been avoided with the use of a restraint or carrier.

And it’s not just their safety that’s at risk, write our Dr. Marty Becker and our DogCars.com editor Keith Turner:

“In a 30 mph accident, a 60-pound dog can cause an impact of more than 2,700 pounds, slamming into a car seat, windshield or other passengers,” said Christina Selter, founder of Bark Buckle Up, an organization dedicated to teaching pet owners about the importance of securing their pets while traveling.

“And if the animal survives and gets loose, it can run into traffic or impede the progress of emergency crews arriving on the scene.”

Safety tips for pet owners aren’t all you’ll find. Gina gives a reader some tough love about breeding his cat, and another reader asks her to remind everyone that acetaminophen (Tylenol) is deadly to cats. Dr. Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon write that petting animals helps soldiers suffering from PTSD, plus let us know about a new shelter for homeless people and their pets.

Dr. Becker gives bird owners the scoop on medicating their pets, and animal behavior experts Susan and Dr. Rolan Tripp point out that pets don’t soil in the house out of spite:

Pets may poop on your bed for a variety of reasons, none of which involve what we humans call “spite.”

A sudden change in a pet’s behavior is often the first sign of a health problem. If the pet checks out as healthy at the veterinarian’s, then consider any possible new source of stress.

Both cats and dogs may use urine and feces to mark territory when they are feeling threatened or stressed by changes in the environment or household routines.

Punishing your pet only adds more stress and continues a vicious cycle. Instead, look for ways to reduce your pet’s stress by meeting more of your pet’s needs. Establish a predictable daily routine for feeding, exercise and companionship.