If you are planning a road trip and bringing Fido or Fluffy along, you will want to plan accordingly. It is not safe to put a pup in the car and drive off. Dogs and cats may try to roam around the car while you are driving, or may experience motion sickness which makes them nauseous or whiny. When you take your pet on a trip in the car, you need to evaluate the situation carefully beforehand. If you are planning a long road trip with your furry friend in the near future, start practicing car etiquette with your animal by taking him or her on small trips around town.

During these short jaunts, teach your pet how to sit still and be quiet while the car is operating. These short drives will also help you to know how your animal responds to the vehicle, and what complications you may need to watch out for on a longer road trip. Whenever you take your animal in the car, you should always put him or her in a container or buckle him or her in a seatbelt. Some states even have laws which require you to secure your pet while driving. Larger dogs may be able to handle a seatbelt, but smaller dogs, cats, and other animals may fare better in a crate.

There are a variety of crates or carriers for pets available at commercial pet stores. Many of these can even be buckled into the seat using the seatbelt for extra security. For larger dogs, you can purchase a harness which wraps around the seatbelt to keep your pet in place. For smaller dogs, you can purchase tiny harnesses, cages, or car seats. Cats are best handled in a small kennel. You may also want to purchase a pet hammock or waterproof seat guards in case your animal has an accident. This will make things easy to clean up, and you won't need to search for napkins or wipes while driving.

One of the main reasons that a pet must be secured in the car is because wandering pets can be a serious distraction. If you leave your pet to explore your car, then he or she may get in your way and cause a dangerous collision. You don't want to be reaching to the back seat of the vehicle to find your kitty in traffic, or trying to restrain your dog while speeding down the highway. Also, it is dangerous to let a pet wander the car because of the risk of a collision. In a crash, an unbuckled animal will be thrown forward or back, and may break bones, suffer bruising, or at worst, not survive. The animals may also fly at you or another passenger during a crash, and create injuries that could be fatal.

Never attach a seatbelt or another restraining device to the pet's collar. This could strangle your animal in case of an accident. Also, while your dog may love to stick his head out the window and let his tongue flap in the breeze, you shouldn't allow this. An obstacle close the vehicle could strike your pet's head, or dust and debris might fly into his eyes, permanently blinding him. Whenever you travel with animals, make sure to provide fresh water for them. If your animal gets motion sick, you will want fresh liquid for him or her to lap to calm his or her stomach. However, it is best to avoid letting your pet eat in the car. This may heighten the possibility of nausea. All in all, it is best to drive carefully and keep your pet contained when you are travelling. Not only does this increase your animal's safety, but it will reduce your likelihood of an accident caused by a distracting animal.