Pet Auto Safety

Do not take your dog into public buildings unless specifically allowed. This includes public park restrooms. Many buildings will have signs specifically prohibiting pets, but not having a sign does not automatically mean that your pet is allowed inside. Pet owners need to remember that many people are allergic to dogs. Taking your pet into an enclosed building could cause severe allergic reactions in people even after your pet has gone. If you are traveling and stopping at a rest stop, please note that dogs are prohibited from all restrooms at the rest stops. Also, rest stops may have designated pet areas for your pet to take care of their business.

Controlling your dog while in public is very important. If you have a difficult time controlling a dog that struggles against the leash, they could pull away and end up running into the street. Or your pet may chase another dog or jump on some unsuspecting adult or child. A dog that is difficult to control may need more training before going in public. To be able to control your dog in public, you need to know how to control them at home. If you are not familiar with how to train your dog, take them to obedience school. The teachers of those classes do not train your dog for you, rather they teach you how to understand and train your pet yourself.

One of the best pet travel tips for traveling with your dog is to always have your dog on a leash. The main importance of this is that you don’t want your dog to get away from you and get lost in a place they are not familiar with. Keep your pet’s leash short if you are around a lot of people. Some people are frightened of or strongly dislike dogs and may act defensively in response when a dog approaches them. Also, know your dog’s behavior. Avoid those things that you know your dog reacts negatively to whether it be children, other pets, or even noise. Adults generally know not to approach a dog without asking you first, but children may not. If you are not sure how your dog will behave around people or children, be especially attentive and prepared to pull your dog away from the situation. Even if you and your pet are in an off-leash area, always monitor your dog’s behavior. If you see your dog jumping on people or being a bully to other dogs, put your dog on a leash.

As pet owners, we have a responsibility to take care of our pets. But if we want to take our pet for a walk in the neighborhood or to play in the park, we also have a responsibility to the public. Not everyone appreciates our pets as much as we do. So in order for both ourselves and our pets to enjoy the social experience, there are a few pet travel tips we need to remember.  There will be five parts posted in the month of May about our Pet Travel Tips/Pet Etiquette series.  Keep checking out our blog.

Pet Travel Tips Part I - Use a Leash
Pet Travel Tips Part II - Control Your Pet
Pet Travel Tips Part III - Avoid Public Buildings
Pet Travel Tips Part IV - Do Not Leave Your Dog Unattended
Pet Travel Tips Part V - Pick Up After Your Pet

Come visit Camp Bow Wow on Saturday, May 16, 10-2 for the Doggie-Palooza event.  Pet Auto Safety.com will be there along with Animal Haven, tinkies, Second Chance Pet Adoptions, Spay and Neuter Kansas City, and The Pet Connection.  There will be a Dog Kissing Booth where Suezanne Law with Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC will be on hand to show you how to teach your furry friend to Kiss on cue.  There will also b food, fun, and more for you and your best friend!

Camp Bow Wow is located at 1150 W. 151st, Ste D, Olathe, KS  66061.  Call 913-322-2267 for more information.

Do you want to take your pet with you when you travel but are concerned about having to leave your pet in the hotel because you can’t take them with you? You may have to leave your pet in the hotel some of the time, but we have some ideas of places you can go traveling with a pet. Now that Spring is here, you can consider eating outdoors at a park or on a restaurant patio. Lots of restaurants have outdoor patios and many will even allow you to have your dog there.

Other places you can go traveling with a pet include parks, bike trails, outdoor gardens, ranches, wineries, golf courses, lakes, rivers, and beaches. Activities you can do when traveling with a pet include biking, fishing, tubing, swimming, boating, camping, outdoor site seeing, hiking, golfing, etc. Also, you can find out about dog events in the area by calling the local animal shelters.

When traveling with a pet, make sure to call the places your are going to visit before taking your dog to them. For example, even though botanical gardens and golf courses are outdoors, many do not allow you to take your pet. Even some state parks may not allow pets.

Traveling with a pet can be fun so next time you go on a trip, consider taking your pet! Click “traveling with a pet” for great pet travel supplies.

You don’t have to go on vacation without your dog. With pet travel safety, you can go anywhere in comfort and style. And with PetsWelcome.com, you can easily find places to stay which will allow your pet to stay too! This site also offers great information on pet air travel and pet international policies. They provide great pet travel tips and information on what to do in emergency situations. Also check out PetsWelcome.com’s information exchange forum where you can find and share information about pet travel.

We recently discovered a great magazine for dog lovers who love to travel with their pets. This pet travel magazine is called Fido Friendly. It has great information on pet travel tips for you and your dog, great dog-friendly places you can visit, and dog-friendly hotels and accomodations you can stay at. Visit http://www.fidofriendly.com/ for more information and to get a subscription.

Every year on the 4th of July we walk over to the park near our house where there is a huge fireworks display. And every year when I get home Sephi is hiding in the bathroom. I find her there shaking uncontrollably from the terrible noises that just took place. I can only imagine how she would have felt if I had brought her to the park with me.

I am amazed at how many people I see at fireworks displays with their pets. So many dogs get lost this time of year due to them running off in fright. And some of them end up getting hit by a car. So please leave your dog at home during the fireworks display.

There are other things you should consider this 4th of July in keeping your pet safe. It’s not unheard of for a dog to break their chain, dig out, or jump the fence in order to try to escape the noise. So keep your pet indoors. And if possible, keep them in the quietest place of the house. Sephi goes into our bathroom because that is the quietest place. I turn on the bathroom fan because she is familiar with that noise and it helps to drown out some of the noises of the fireworks. You can also leave a television or radio on for your pet before you leave. Do not leave any windows of your house open. And if your dog knows how to open any of your doors, lock them before you leave.

Always make sure your pet is wearing their identification tags. A desperate dog just might be able to find a way out. I have heard of dogs breaking out of windows, going through air ducts, and even managing to open an unlocked door. Tags will help to bring them home. If you find a dog this year, contact the local animal shelter and humane society. Post in the classified ads of your local newspaper. Post online too. Craig’s list is a popular place to post online. Leave fliers at local neighborhood centers and notify local residents.

If you know your pet will enjoy it, feel free to take your pet to the park for the 4th of July picnic, but please leave them at home for the fireworks! Enjoy the Independence Day celebration and come home to a safe and happy pet.

The employees of PetAutoSafety.com visited an event today called “Paws in the Park” which was presented by the Johnson County Park & Recreation District. This event is located at Shawnee Mission Park, a 1,250 acre park located in Johnson County, Kansas at 79th and Renner Rd. It is the largest park in Johnson County and has more visitors than any other park in the state of Kansas. This is because the park is not only clean and well-kept, but it also has areas designated for numerous activities including fishing, boating, canoeing, picnics, hiking, and biking. It also has a disc golf course, trails for horse back riding, an archery range, a play area for kids, the Theater in the Park, and best of all, a 53 acre off-leash area for dogs. The off-leash area for dogs has a swim beach, some well-kept wood chip trails, and both grassland and wooded areas for the dogs to visit.

“Paws in the Park” is a family and pet event with multiple pet-related activities and pet-related vendors. The pet-related activities and events included a pet/owner look-a-like contest, a dog walk, best trick contest, an agility course, and best costume contest. There was also a canine demonstration by the Overland Park Police Department. The pet-related vendors we saw included PetsMart, various animal rescue groups, local dog training businesses, local dog sitters and day care businesses, veterinary clinics, and more! Next year, we here at PetAutoSafety.com hope to be one of the vendors in this event. Our goal is to not only get the word out about pet auto safety, but to collect enough proceeds to be able to donate a portion to the local humane society. Most of the proceeds for the “Paws in the Park” event is given for the upkeep of Shawnee Mission Park, but a fair portion will be donated to an area dog rescue group. We are proud to contribute to any organization that helps pets. We are also glad that we could contribute to a great park that we take our dogs to all the time.

Check your local area for great off-leash parks and wonderful pet-related events.