PRESS RELEASE: Pet Safety Company Offers Tips for Safe Pet Travel

Wag’N Pet Safety Gear gives a few simple rules to keep pets—and pet parents—safe while traveling

According to the 2009-2010 American Pet Product Association National Pet Owners Survey, the average dog owner takes their pet on three car trips—of two or more days—per year, while cat owners will take their cat on five car trips per year. Even more pets travel daily on short errands with their pet parents. With so many pets on the road, Wag’N Pet Safety Gear encourages pet parents to take the safety of their pet, and themselves, seriously by following some simple pet safety rules.

“Whether your pets travel with you on vacation, to another country, or just to the store or the ever popular dog park, it is essential to remember a few rules to insure the safety and comfort of you and your pet,” said Ines de Pablo, Chief Wag’N Officer of Wag’N Pet Safety Gear which she founded in 2007 to offer the necessary gear, supplies and training to effectively mitigate, prepare and respond to emergencies that impact pet health and safety. “Wag’N Pet Safety Gear hopes all pet parents will place their furry friend’s safety side-by-side with their own.”

May I see your license and passport? While every pet should wear a collar with its regular identification, county license, microchip and rabies tag AT ALL TIMES, pet identification is absolutely imperative when traveling. Pet parents should also carry a record of their pets’ medical history, proof of ownership and vaccinations, a photo of their pet and emergency contact numbers. A Wag’N Pet Passport is a good solution to keep all of this information together in one place.

Snouts and paws in the vehicle. Parents don’t let their children travel in the car without a seat belt or with their head hanging out the window, and pet parents should follow that same rule. Pets should be secured in a pet crate, by a dog harness connected to a seat belt, or behind a divider to keep the pet in the cargo area of a wagon or SUV. “You don’t want your animal to roam loose in the vehicle,” explains de Pablo, who initiated the No Tails Left Unbuckled Campaign to encourage pets be buckled up while riding in a vehicle. “And even if your dog is secured by a harness, make sure his head remains inside the car. If a pet’s head is hanging out the window, flying debris hitting soft tissue can case severe blunt trauma to the pet’s face and other debris such as pollen, dust, and gravel can cause eye inflammation and even blindness.” It’s also unwise to leave your dog unrestrained in the bed of a pickup truck where they could fall, jump out or become airborne projectiles, de Pablo warns.

Whew…it’s hot in here. Keep in mind that pets can suffer from heatstroke when left in a confined space or in a hot vehicle. A Stanford University test found that when it is 72 degrees outside, a car’s internal temperature can rocket to 116 degrees within an hour, even with the windows cracked.  When it is 85 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car can soar to 102 degrees in 10 minutes and 120 degrees in 30 minutes. “If you know you are going to have to leave a pet in the car if he rides along, it’s best to simply leave your pet at home,” said de Pablo. “Most pet owners don’t realize how quickly the temperature can skyrocket in a parked car after just a few minutes—even on a cloudy, humid day—leaving pets in serious danger of heat stroke or even death.”

One of the easiest ways to determine if a vehicle is unsafe for a pet to be left in is by utilizing a Wag’N Auto Alert Tag. Pet owners can leave the tag hanging from the rear view mirror and, when the temperature inside the car gets above 85-degrees Fahrenheit, the heart of the Auto Alert Tag will display the message Heat Alert. Get Out. This indicates that no pet—or child—should be left inside the car REGARDLESS of whether or not a window remains somewhat open.  Wag’N also offers Pet in Distress/Heat Alert pet first aid fliers that people can leave on windshields if they find a dog unattended and in distress in a hot car.

Keep the water flowing. No matter the circumstances of the trip, a pet’s hydration is essential. When hiking, camping, at the beach, on regular walks, in the car, or during a winter storm, the provision of fresh water remains essential for pets. The Wag’N Water Dispens’R conveniently dispenses just the right amount of water allowing pets to lap directly out of the bottle. The collapsible Wag’N Travel Bowl fits into a backpack, purse or glove compartment, making it easy to offer a pet water on-the-go.

Commune with nature. Places that allow pets are making a special accommodation and pet parents should not abuse the privilege. Pet parents should keep a few plastic bags handy and simply clean up after Fido or Fifi. Wag’N recommends pet parents keep a few bio-degradable Ickyboo™ waste bags in a jacket pocket, secured to the leash or in the car.

Be prepared. Pet parents should take a Pet First Aid Class and have a Pet First Aid Kit available for emergencies. Wag’Ns Mayday Well-Fed™ and Skinny™ Pet First Aid kits are easy to carry and contain items necessary to administer basic pet first aid.

“Many pet parents consider pets to be members of the family, yet unfortunately don’t grasp why there are such things as pet safety and pet first aid,” said de Pablo. “Because there are little to no variances between the human and animal mechanisms of injury, pet parents—acting as their pet’s first responders—should expect and be able to treat anything from bruises, burns, fractures, concussions, neck and spinal cord injuries to sprains, blunt force and penetrating trauma, cardio pulmonary and respiratory distress. Having the right tools on hand, and enough knowledge about how to help an injured pet, is extremely important until the pet parent is able to get the injured animal to the veterinarian.”

For more information about Wag’N Enterprises, visit www.wagnpetsafety.comTo find out how to help your community, visit www.wagn4u.com/O2FurLife

About Wag’N Enterprises
Founded in 2007, Wag’N offers pet parents and first responders the necessary gear, supplies and training to effectively mitigate, prepare and respond to emergencies that impact pet health and safety. Chief Wag’N Officer, Ines de Pablo holds a Masters Degree in Risk, Crisis & Emergency Management from the prestigious George Washington University in Washington D.C. and has over a decade of extensive field training experience under her belt.  Wag’N Enterprises is a branded and extensive collection of purposefully designed and all-encompassing crafted tools and services giving people and their pets’ peace of mind in case of an emergency.