The Red Dog Inn

As some of you know, my beloved Green Machine (1996 Ford Explorer Sport) is headed for that great parking lot in the sky after 230,000 faithful miles.  I loved this vehicle.

So, now that I’m looking for a new vehicle, I am thinking about the features I want to make it the most useful.  I take Butters and Lula a lot of places, so it has to be comfortable for them. I haul a lot of equipment for the horses, so it has to have some space and be able to navigate stables. (I never could understand why horse people roll up in a luxury vehicle and unload hay from the trunk of their shiny car.)

A friend of mine chose her new vehicle on the basis that her borzoi (Russian wolfhound) could comfortably move around the back area.

I learned that the American Pet Products Association — yes, there is one. I’m not making this up (http://www.americanpetproducts.org) – projects that sales of pet products will increase by $2 Billion (US) this year. (We are in a recession, right?)

In my opinion, if the manufacturers want to save themselves, they’ll turn their attention toward pet packages.  So, I began thinking about features of the Pet-Friendly package:

• Easy to clean material  rear compartment.
• Harness fastners
• Crate locks (like the new baby seat locks)
• Air conditioning for the pet compartment.
• Auxilary power for the pet compartment so it remains cool even when parked for those people who take their pets with them everywhere.* (Police K-9 Units have this feature.)
• Thermometers mounted on the outside of the vehicle to show the inside temperature; alarm on keychain. *
• Vent windows with screens
• Water bowl holders. OR bowl that sits in the cup holder of the car.
• Under floor storage
• Storage net or bin.
• Easy up ramps or lifts to help older dogs or infirm dogs into the vehicle. 

These are just some of the features I think would be welcomed by the pet lovers who drive.  What other features would be cool?

*CAUTION: These technologies don’t yet exist yet in passenger vehicles to my knowledge. So, don’t take your pet on errands with you, particularly on warm days.   A vehicle’s interior can climb to 180* on a 70* day. If you love your pet, don’t leave your it in the vehicle for anything! It can succumb to heat or be stolen.  If you are running errands and can’t take your pet with you, leave him or her at home with plenty of fresh water.

I really didn’t want one of my first posts to be about this, but I have to speak out to do some good for the canine set. One of my pet peeves is to see dogs loose in the bed of a pick up truck. In my state, this practice has been illegal since 1988, and yet, I saw a beautiful golden retriever loose in the bed of a white Ford Ranger just this morning. Legal Reference: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc23117.htm

So why do folks insist on engaging in this behavior if they truly love their pets?  A loose pet can become a projectile in the event of a sudden stop or accident and cause injury to itself, its person or others! 

And why aren’t police departments enforcing this law in my state and other states with similar restrictions?

The options are simple for pet owners:

1 – Leave your pet at home.

2 – Transport your pet INSIDE the passenger compartment with you. If the animal is smelly, give it a bath for goodness sakes.

3 – Invest in a proper crate for the back, secure it to the bed of your pick up and then secure your pet in the crate.  

4 – If you’re unsure about safe travel practices with your pets, check with your vet!

And don’t assume that your pet is safe if you leave him or her in the crate while you go to lunch or shop or in the case I saw, church!  Someone may steal your beloved pet.   Plus, your pet should have access to shade and water while in the crate, as well as, be able to turn around and lie down.

What can we do to encourage folks to appropriately secure their pets when travelling?  Will vets and pet shops help spread the word?