How Pets Become Lost: Traveling With Your Pets

How Pets Become Lost:

Traveling with Your Pets

When traveling with your pet, there are some simple guidelines to follow to increase your pet’s safety, whether you are traveling by plane or car or if you are staying in hotels.

Traveling by Plane

Confirm with your airlines their exact requirements for shipping your pet. Every airline company is different, so it is important to know their particular rules. If your pet is small enough to fit under your seat, then they can ride inside the cabin with you. If they are larger, then they must ride in the cargo area, which is air-pressurized and temperature-controlled. 

The carriers your pet rides in must fit the regulations of the airlines. Most crates for shipping in the cargo area are high impact plastic and are strong and sturdy. The doors should be tied with zip ties and locked to prevent an accidental escape by your pet. There should also be small water dishes or water bottles attached to the door, so your pet can have access to water on their trip. 

Make sure your pet is wearing a sturdy collar or harness with current ID tags and has a registered microchip or tattoo in case of an accidental escape during transport or after the dog arrives at their destination. Immediately after your pet is removed from the crate, make sure a sturdy leash is attached to their collar, since your pet may be confused and nervous and scared of all the unfamiliar sounds at the airport. 

Traveling by Car

When traveling by car with your pet, there are some simple safety measures to follow to make sure your pet is always secure in the vehicle, like riding in a carrier or a sturdy harness. 

Many pets become anxious while riding in a car and tend to jump around. If the window is open, they may jump out and escape from a moving or parked car. They may feel more secure and comfortable and less apt to jump out if kept secure. Also if they tend to have carsickness, this may keep anything confined to the crate or a specific area of the car.

Some pets become aggressive towards other dogs on the street and may jump out of a window to chase another dog, and then they are lost in an unfamiliar territory. 

If you have a pickup truck without a camper shell, many states have laws that require dogs to be in a crate or securely tethered and harnessed. These laws are meant to keep your pet safe to prevent them from being thrown from a vehicle or from jumping out. 

One of the most common ways a pet becomes lost while riding in a vehicle is after an accident. If an animal is loose inside a vehicle and an accident occurs, they may become injured if they are tossed around inside, or worse, they are thrown from the vehicle. If they are not severely injured, then they become very confused and disoriented in an unfamiliar location. Some pets may stay around to be with their people, but many run loose on the highway and can cause an accident. If a person tries to catch the animal, they may get bit, and if the animal is not captured immediately, then they often will run into the areas surrounding the accident. 

Staying in Hotels

If you are traveling by car and staying in hotels, there are a few simple rules to follow to help ensure your pet’s safety. 

First, make sure your pets are always either on leash or in a carrier when outside the room. Traveling can be stressful on an animal, especially if they are not used to traveling or if they are used to a more consistent routine. Many animals may feel the need to bolt or escape from a situation in which they feel uncomfortable, even though at home or in a familiar environment, they would always stay close. 

Second, make sure the room is secure for your pet when they are loose inside the room. For example, check the screens on the windows to confirm they are not torn or separated from the frame. Do the same for the screen door, if there is one. Many animals are very good at testing screens to see if they can escape. 

Some pets many hide while in a strange room, so check under the bed to see if there is space for them to wedge themselves and check furniture for open drawers or cabinet doors. 

Many hotels do except pets in their rooms, and it is best to call ahead to confirm before making reservations. Some charge an extra fee per pet, pet night, to allow your pet to stay. Some have a restriction on the number of animals in a room, some have restrictions on the size of the pet and some have combinations of all of the above. 

Proper ID and Secure Collar

At all times your pet should be wearing a secure collar or harness with a visible and sturdy identification tag with your personal contact information, no matter what the circumstances because many pets escape and become lost when a person does not expect something to happen. 

If your pet likes to swim or spend time in the water, then nylon or other type of waterproof collar is the best option. Leather collars don’t fare well in water, or may have to be replaced more often if it become wet often. 

I have heard that some people don’t like the sound that ID tags make as they jingle when the dog moves around. Personally, the sound has never bothered me. In fact, I want the sound because I use that sound to determine where my dogs and cat are at all times. I also like to know if they are scratching because if an animal is scratching then it might mean they have a skin condition I need to check into further. 

If you don’t like the sound of the tags, you have a few options. One is to have a nylon collar with your phone number and name embroidered into the webbing. If you don’t want a nylon collar, you can also get a plate engraved with your personal information and have that riveted to the leather collar. A third option is to get a type of “tag pouch” where the tags can be tucked into which is attached to the collar.

When choosing your collar for your pet to carry their tags, remember to make sure that the collar is proper fitting. This means that the collar should not slip over the head. Sometimes when a pet becomes lost and somebody approaches them, this person may grab your pet’s collar to catch them, and if the collar is loose or in poor shape, the collar may break or slip over their head. Then your pet is still running loose and now they don’t have on their collar. 

Is Your Pet a Good Candidate for Traveling or Staying at Home?

Good for travel

1. Comfortable in car rides

2. Social around animals and people

3. Good walking on leash

4. Housetrained

5. Familiar with using carriers or crates

6. Good physical health

7. No separation anxiety

8. Up to date on shots

9. Wears collar or harness and comfortable walking on leash

10. Clean and groomed. 

Good for staying at home with house sitter or in secure boarding kennel

1. Uncomfortable in new surroundings

2. Not social around people or other animals

3. Health problems like complications from some medications or physical disabilities

4. Not house trained

5. Separation anxiety or other behavioral issues

6. Does not wear collar or harness and not familiar with walking on leash.

7. Not well groomed or clean

In summary, many pets can become stressed by a change in environment, especially if that pet is not used to change or being outside the home. A pet can become scared of all the new people and places and sounds, especially big, loud trucks if you are traveling by car and stopping at rests stops. Make sure that the pets are wearing sturdy collars with ID tags and carry current photos in case there is an emergency need to make a Lost Pet flyer.