| This is a story about a road trip I took with | | | | be in the area. The last thing I need when |
| my dog this summer. This is an informational | | | | away from home is to get a citation for an |
| story that will provide some insight as to | | | | ordinance violation. One bad thing about |
| what you need to consider when you travel | | | | traveling alone with a pet was that when I |
| with your pet. My dog's safety while in the | | | | had to use the restroom, I had no choice but |
| car had to be considered. I needed to know | | | | to leave Sephi in the car for a few minutes. |
| where to make pit stops along the way. And I | | | | There were signs clearly posted at the rest |
| needed to know what hotels would allow her to | | | | stops prohibiting dogs from entering the |
| stay. | | | | buildings so Sephi was not allowed to go into |
| | | | the restroom with me. |
| Sephi is my dog's name, short for Persephone. | | | | |
| Sephi is a 55 pound dog, part German | | | | Sephi drank water while a the rest tops but |
| shepherd, part Labrador, part chow, part | | | | she did not eat until we got to our |
| border collie, etc. She loves to ride in the | | | | destination. This is because Sephi tends to |
| car. I don't generally take her with me in | | | | get a little car sick if she has food in her |
| the car during the summer unless it is to the | | | | stomach. Our trip was only four hours long |
| park. But I needed to go to St. Louis for | | | | so she did not go hungry for very long. When |
| business. As a female, I don't like to | | | | we reached St Louis we had to find a hotel. |
| travel alone too far from home. So I decided | | | | Knowing by experience that many hotels allow |
| to take Sephi with me as my "guard dog". It | | | | pets, I did not do any research beforehand. |
| is a four hour drive from Kansas City to St | | | | As a result, I visited two other hotels |
| Louis, and 99% of the trip would be spent on | | | | before I found one that both accepted dogs |
| the interstate. | | | | and had wi-fi access. The hotel we stayed at |
| | | | was the Red Roof Inn. It was fairly |
| Before leaving, I made sure Sephi's tags were | | | | inexpensive and comfortable. I brought |
| legible and that they were adequately secured | | | | Sephi's carrier in the room. This gave her |
| to her collar. Sephi is not the type of dog | | | | the comfort of familiar surroundings, but the |
| to run off, but I'd rather not take any | | | | carrier was necessary for another reason as |
| chances. Her tags not only have her name and | | | | well. Most hotels require that if you have |
| my phone number, but they also have her vet's | | | | to leave your pet alone in the room that the |
| phone number. The major dog essentials | | | | pet be confined. I had business to take care |
| needed for this trip included Sephi's leash, | | | | of and I would not be able to take her with |
| her dog car seat belt, water and her water | | | | me. So she stayed in her carrier while I |
| bowl, dog food, doggie bags for picking up | | | | left the hotel. Hotels have this rule for |
| her waste, and her pet carrier (which is also | | | | two major reasons. First, the hotel does not |
| her doggie bed). Sephi wore her dog car seat | | | | want pets destroying their property. Sephi |
| belt the entire time she was in the car. The | | | | is not destructive, but some dogs are so the |
| dog seat belt she uses is easy to put on and | | | | hotel makes the rule apply to all dogs. |
| comfortable for her to wear. The dog car | | | | Second, if hotel personnel needs to enter the |
| seat belt is worn like a harness. A strap | | | | room they don't want the pet to escape or to |
| extends from the back of the harness and | | | | bite the intruder. Before you travel with |
| latches into the seat belt receptacle. | | | | your pet, you may want to find a hotel that |
| Whenever Sephi is not in the car, the strap | | | | allows pets first. Be sure to read their pet |
| can be unhooked and replaced with a leash so | | | | policy so that you can make sure you comply |
| that she doesn't have to have the harness | | | | with the guidelines. |
| taken on and off. | | | | |
| | | | All-in-all, the road trip was a success. I |
| I brought my own food and snacks or only went | | | | felt safe traveling alone with my "guard |
| to places where I could pick up food quick so | | | | dog". Sephi was safe wearing her dog car |
| that I wouldn't have to leave Sephi in the | | | | seat belt. She was kept hydrated and had |
| car. It was over 90 degrees outside and | | | | plenty of potty breaks at the rest stops. |
| could get even hotter inside a car. Other | | | | And she was comfortable during her stay at |
| pit stops were necessary. Since the drive | | | | the hotel. Traveling with a pet does not |
| was mostly on interstate 70 there were | | | | have to be an inconvenience if you remember |
| several rest stops along the way. These rest | | | | certain points. Research hotels and hotel |
| stops not only had restroom facilities for | | | | pet policies before traveling. Bring the |
| me, but they also had designated pet areas | | | | pet's carrier if you plan on leaving the |
| for Sephi. Most rest stops in the United | | | | hotel without your pet. Make sure your dog |
| States have designated pet areas. Even | | | | is wearing their tags and bring their leash. |
| though it was obvious that many pet owners | | | | Make sure your dog has a vehicle restraint |
| did not pick up after their pets, I used the | | | | such as a dog car seat belt or a pet car |
| doggie bags to pick up after Sephi. Not only | | | | seat. Bring something to pick up after your |
| did I do this as a courtesy, but I also did | | | | pet. Bring plenty of water. And last but |
| it in order to avoid getting into trouble | | | | not least, enjoy your trip! |
| with any law enforcement that may happen to | | | | |