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While it isn’t very uncommon for people to travel with their pets, there is still a vast incongruence in consensus on how to sensibly do this. In my travels, and the various regions in which I’ve settled; I’ve noticed some nuances local to that area on the subject. West Coasters and across the great plains do, in fact, have something in common: they (generally) allow their dogs to wander beside them without a leash.
I can’t begin to tell you how miserable of a practice this is. Besides the common sense in not performing this behavior, it is also illegal just about everywhere. I haven’t discovered a place in all my years where this is legally permissible. Now, because tragically, the aforementioned common sense is ailing in our society, I’m afraid I need to spell it out in black and white terms.
Keep in mind, I will be talking mostly about dogs here; but all the same rules apply to travelers with cats. Dogs tend to be less passive creatures, and require far more attention, in general, than cats; thus, they are at the forefront of example.
Leash and Tether
No matter how trained you think your dog is—it’s still an animal with limited intelligence, enhanced instincts and senses beyond your own, and indeed, a will of its own. This means, regardless of your commands, if your dog is spooked for any reason it may act uncharacteristically; including running from you and becoming struck by a moving vehicle, or attacking someone. You don’t want that blood on your hands in either event, and the latter (attacking) may cost you in litigation and having your pet euthanized. Still feeling responsible without a leash? A leash is like a Fire Department: It’s better to have it and never need it, than to need it when it isn’t there. A friendly alternative to collars to leash your dogs, are harnesses that connect at the torso. With leashing, I always found collars to be insensitive and cruel to dogs—or any animal for that matter.
Without a leash, your dog could charge at another dog that is also not on a leash, and could face fatal and legal consequences, especially if your dog charges onto private property to attack a dog who is leashed to the property. Prepare to be sued and fined in that event.
Children are gremlins—well, they can be. If your dog wanders away from you, and a child decided it’s fun to provoke your dog with a stick, and your dog (justifiably) responds, the child will be attacked, and your dog will be euthanized, and depending on the severity of the case, you could face prison and/or community service, and fines.
Now that I’ve hopefully and sufficiently disillusioned you of this adverse public behavior, you’ll see why I stress the importance of the leash and harness. This is most especially pertinent within the context of this website, because if you plan to travel with your dog—the consequences I named above are not something you want to face anywhere, anytime, especially on the road in the midst of a traveling adventure. Buck up, swallow your pride, and leash up to avoid a potentially tragic set of circumstances. Remember the objective: Travel and enjoy life, make fond memories—not grim nightmares.
Tethering Rules
Assuming that the leash and harness isn’t an issue for you... what now? Well, there’s still a few more rules to follow here, if you love your pet and value them as a family member. The following rules are extremely simple: The pet is to remain leashed at all times—no exceptions.
They are to remain tethered to either of the following, and remain tethered at all times:
- You,
- their carrier/crate,
- the vehicle itself.
To be clear, the leash is the means by which you will do the tethering, and affixing securely to the aforementioned locations. The importance of the tether, is to remove the risk of your pet running away and suffering additional harm as a result of that. I know it would break my heart if my pet ran away while I was in the middle of traveling the country, or any strange area far from home. Can you imagine what stress that will put on you, not to mention, guilt? If, for whatever reason, your pet is not tethered, but the leash remains on them, and they get away from you—then you at least have a fighting chance, because you can grab the leash more easily than your pet, and the leash can snag, which won’t be of harm, because of the harness—but you will have time to find them, or even catch up to them.
There are technological options as well, like GPS trackers made for pets, just in case just such a thing should happen. However, I strongly advise this device be used in conjunction with, and not as a substitute for, the methods I’ve outlined here.
There is a wide array of these devices to choose from, and their prices range from affordable to very expensive; ultimately, it’s just a matter of what you’re personally looking for. Some make sounds, some have better screens. For that reason, I am not going to recommend anything specific. Search online for “GPS Pet Tracker”, or “Tracking Collar” etc. Perhaps look on Amazon, too. You don’t have to break the bank, but you shouldn’t skimp on your pets security either.
If you remember to use the leash and harness as I’ve said, you (and your pet) should be safe. Anything additional certainly won’t hurt. A simple bell might even make all the difference.
Pets and Weather
This should be common sense… but as I said before… see above...
Do not leave your pet unattended in the vehicle for long periods of time, ever; secondly, ensure the pet has food, water and the climate is comfortable for them. Crack the windows for cool air in hot climates, and leave the heat running in cold climates.
Be aware: the vehicle can still heat up significantly with the windows cracked.
This is where having a spare vehicle key will come in handy. You can lock the vehicle with the keys in the ignition, and still get inside with your spares. Just don’t lock your spares inside too, otherwise things can turn ugly. For this reason, always keep the spare keys on your person, and never inside the vehicle alone. When you’re on the road, your mind is going so many places, and habit and routines are all but out the window in lieu of adventure; so don’t trust yourself to remember every little detail. Be proactively preventative. Having a lockout on a road trip is a huge bummer, and you might be in a situation where help is far away, or the engine is running and your fuel is idling away to empty, and you could be faced with the prospect of having to break a window—which utterly compromises the security of your vehicle, inside and out—this is especially bad when traveling with a pet.
If you do, for whatever reason, leave your pet locked in your vehicle unattended, and the climate is dangerous or uncomfortable for your pet know this: it is legal in some places, for a good Samaritan to smash your window to rescue your pet (if a police officer doesn't discover the problem first).
Typically, they will call the police, wait 20 minutes for you to return, and in the event you don’t, or the animal appears distressed, lawfully smash your window and remove your pet. You could have a lot to answer for if you come back to this scenario, including legal repercussions, and the expense of a new window. Although, a broken window would be the least of my concerns in that event.
Pest Control and Rest Breaks
When traveling, you have to be particularly mindful of your pets needs to go to the bathroom. They’ll drop rocks and water your seats if you don’t. So just do it. Even the most obedient pet will do this if ignored long enough, but not without holding it and becoming distressed for fear of discipline. If you discipline your pet for your negligence, that qualifies you as a Class 1 Scumbag, and warrants a beating of your very own with not a newspaper, but a magazine.
Additionally, when you stop to allow your pet to relieve itself, make sure it has a flea collar, or pet-friendly bug spray on, at the very least. You don’t want pesky insects invading your vehicle and all your things. Remember to use the leash. I’m going to drill this into you. And pick up the droppings. Remember your Oath according to the Traveler’s Doctrine, it applies to the little things, too.
Cats are usually fine with a litter box in the vehicle, just make sure to keep their food and water as far from the litter box as possible. Litter isn’t hard to vacuum out of the upholstery, but I would advise laying down a small tarp, or small plastic painters drop cloth to help with that, especially if you have a newer vehicle. Those precautions I leave to your discretion.
This is usually how people perceive dog owners who drop rocks on their grass:
See that? They think you're the one pooping in the grass. Don't be an animal. Pick it up.
Mobile Transport and Unfamiliar Climate
There are also pet strollers and backpacks, where you can take your small dog or cat with you on-the-go. Just make sure to exclude secluded exploration, where you personally, may encounter increased risk; such as abandoned places, places with no real roads, or ghost towns that are far removed from society.
For those of you from extreme climates, I’ll caution you to heed the ground temperatures before allowing your pet to touch pavement. If you’re from a cold climate, where it’s cold most of the year—but you find yourself exploring a hotter region, like Arizona; do not allow your pet to walk on the pavement during a hot day. If it’s too much for your own feet, assume it will be too much for them. I have lived in Arizona, and you can nearly fry an egg on the ground some days. The opposite rule applies to those of you who live in hotter climates, and find yourself exploring a colder region. In addition to the ground being far colder than you’re used to, there might also be road salt, which contains other chemicals which can be harmful to your pets pads, and toxic to them when they ingest it while grooming.
I know I was a little hard on you here, but I’m sure you can sensibly see why. This is very serious business, and yours isn’t the only life at stake anymore. Your pet trusts you. It has no choice. It believes that you will make the best decisions possible for it; and like a good steward of the road, you should act accordingly with a loved one, even and especially, if it’s a pet.
Protect them and love them as your own child. They need you just the same.