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Safety
When you travel with a dog or cat in the car, keep your dog in the back seat in a crash-test certified harness or a secured crate or carrier, keep your cat in a secured carrier, and never leave either one alone in a parked car. The rest, from practice drives to what to pack, helps the trip go safely and easily.
Our poodle, Queen, rides with us to her heart appointments. Here’s what veterinary and safety groups recommend.
Keep your pet restrained, in the back seat
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) says pets should always be restrained, the same way we wear seat belts. A small pet can crawl down by the pedals, a big one can block your view, and in a crash a loose pet can be crushed by an airbag or thrown through a window. Airbags are also why pets belong in the back seat, even in a crate.
Traveling with a dog in the car
A car harness isn’t the same as a walking harness. Look for a crash-test certified one that works with your seat belt, or use a secured crate or carrier. The ASPCA warns against wire or collapsible crates, which can collapse or break open in a crash. Skip extension tethers, which give a dog too much room to move in a sudden stop.
A head out the window looks like fun, but the AVMA warns about flying debris and about dogs being thrown or jumping out. Be careful with cracked windows too, because pets can slip through small spaces.
Sources don’t agree on which restraint is safest, and “crash-tested” on a package doesn’t tell you how a product did. Humane World for Animals says a crate anchored to the car is safest, and that dog restraints and seat belts haven’t been reliably shown to protect dogs in a crash. In the Center for Pet Safety’s 2013 harness study, only one of the brands tested offered crash protection. That group is a nonprofit that says it doesn’t take funding from pet product makers, and it certifies harnesses, carriers and crates that meet its standards, so its list is a good place to start.
Traveling with a cat in the car
Keep your cat in a carrier for every ride, big enough to stand up, turn around and lie down in. Feline veterinarians suggest securing it on the floor behind a front seat, and using a seat belt only with a crash-test certified carrier, because a belt can crush one that isn’t. A towel or blanket over the carrier gives a nervous cat somewhere to hide.
Get your pet used to the car
Start with short drives and slowly make them longer. Some dogs settle in within a week, and others take a few months, according to Cornell. If the carrier only ever means the veterinarian, take your pet somewhere fun in it too.
Before you leave on a road trip
Food: A light meal a few hours before you go can help prevent car sickness. Advice ranges from three to six hours, so ask your veterinarian what’s right for your pet, and don’t feed them while you’re moving.
Exercise: Activity before the drive can help them relax.
ID: Put your cell number on their tag, and make sure your microchip details are current. For cats, use a breakaway collar.
Where you’re staying: Check the pet rules before you book. Cornell advises against leaving a dog alone in a new hotel room until they’ve settled in, usually at least the first 24 hours.
What to pack for a road trip with your pet
a carrier or crate, with bedding and a favorite toy
their usual food, plus plenty of water from home, since unfamiliar water can upset a stomach
a bowl, a leash, waste bags and a first aid kit
for a cat, a travel litter box
medicines and copies of the prescriptions
your contact information and your veterinarian’s
copies of their medical records, including vaccinations and proof of rabies vaccination
If you’re heading to a holiday gathering, our list of foods that aren’t safe for dogs and cats is worth a look.
How often to stop
Plan to stop every two or three hours so your dog can drink and take a bathroom break. Clip the leash on before you open the car door, to a collar or harness they can’t wiggle out of.
Cats are different. Keep the carrier closed whenever a car door or window is open. On a long drive, ask your veterinarian how to offer water and a litter box safely along the way.
Can you leave a dog or cat in a parked car?
No. The AVMA says never, whatever the temperature outside and however long you think you’ll be gone, so plan your stops around your pet. A car can warm up about 20 degrees Fahrenheit in 10 minutes and more than 40 degrees in an hour, so a 70-degree day can mean more than 110 degrees inside. Shade doesn’t solve it, and cracking the windows makes no difference. Humane World adds: not even with the car running and the air conditioning on.
Cold cars are a risk too, especially for pets who are young, old, ill or thin. We have more on that in Cold Weather Care for Older Dogs and Cats.
Car sickness and anxiety in dogs and cats
Drooling, vomiting, yawning, whining and seeming uneasy can all be signs of motion sickness, and they usually stop when the car does. Fear of the car can play a part too. Getting used to the car helps some pets. For others, your veterinarian can prescribe something, so ask before a long trip. Please don’t give your pet your own motion sickness medicine. Your veterinarian should choose one, and Merck notes that some medicines that treat motion sickness in dogs and people don’t work in cats. The same goes for sedatives and calming medicine: talk with your veterinarian first, and if they prescribe one, try it at home before the trip.
Traveling across state lines with a pet
The USDA says it doesn’t regulate owners driving their pets between states. Your destination sets the rules, and it may ask for a health certificate or updated vaccinations. Carry proof of rabies vaccination, ask your veterinarian, and check with that state’s animal health official before you go. Some states also have rules about pets on a driver’s lap, so look up your route.
Does your pet need to come?
The AVMA suggests asking this first. Sometimes the stress of the trip outweighs the fun of getting there, and many cats do better at home. Bringing them or leaving them can both be the loving choice.
This article shares general safety information from veterinary and safety groups. It isn’t a substitute for advice from your own veterinarian.
Sources
We’re arranging a veterinary review of this article. Until it’s done, here are the sources behind it.
American Veterinary Medical Association: Pet safety in vehicles
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Pet Travel Safety
Cornell Riney Canine Health Center: Traveling safely with your dog
ASPCA: Traveling With Pets? Follow These Expert Dos and Don’ts
Humane World for Animals: How to Keep Pets Safe in High Temperatures
Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences: Tips For Traveling With Pets
International Cat Care: Taking your cat to the veterinary clinic, a guide for cat carers
University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine: Tips for Traveling with Pets
USDA APHIS: Take a Pet From One U.S. State or Territory to Another
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