Traveling with pets in the mountains (and almost everywhere in winter in the Northern Hemisphere) requires focus on safety, warmth, and hydration, using secure crates or harnesses for restraint, bringing blankets and extra food/water, keeping trips short if needed, protecting paws from road salt with booties/coats, and crucially, never leaving pets unattended due to rapid temperature swings and the risks of hypothermia or frostbite.
Always have an emergency kit with essentials, and ensure your pet is comfortable and secure, even for short stops.
During the Drive
Secure Them: Use a secured crate or a safety harness/seatbelt tether; never let them roam loose or sit on your lap.
Stay Warm & Hydrated: Provide water at stops, bring blankets for warmth, and ensure the car's heat is adequate.
Paws Protection: Use pet booties or paw wax to protect against ice and salty slush; avoid letting them drink from puddles. Especially near the roads! Most road clearing now uses chemicals too and these are poisonous.
Short & Sweet Breaks: Take frequent, short potty and exercise breaks, but keep them short to minimize cold exposure.
Never Leave Unattended: A vehicle's interior can quickly become dangerously cold or hot, even in winter.
Emergency Preparedness
Stuck in Traffic: Pack extra food and water, plus blankets, in case of unexpected delays or getting stuck.
Know the Signs: Watch for shivering, lethargy, or disorientation, which can signal hypothermia.
The above tips are from the BC SPCA, BCAA (BC Automobile Association).
This is a TERRIFIC Video about cold weather travel!
AND it's MEW YEAR!
As far as I'm concerned, EVERY DAY is My day! And I don't know too many cats that don't think that!
Happy Mew Year on January 2nd makes it EXTRA SPECIAL for me! After all yesterday - New Year's Day - seems to be all about the Peeps! Mom says on Mew Year we get 3 wishes each!
Today, I expect my Peep to make the day ALL ABOUT ME! And I want:
A NEw Nip Nanner!
A nice box of Oat grass from the health food store
And Kozmo to feel more like his happy-go-lucky self! I miss my play buddy! I can't remember the last time we played "Great Thundering Herd" or "Bed Monster"!
The new medicine he got from the vet for his joints has not been successful. He can't have pain meds as they react with his Thyroid meds and He has found the cold and wet purrticularly hard this winter. He spends his time sleeping on the sofa or on the bed...
I can't believe another year has come and gone! 2025 went by so furry quickly! Much like the world, things have changed here in the middle of nowhere too! Something have been incredibly wonderful and something have been incredibly sad, but we are grateful that we areall happy and healthy! Onto the Badges!
We
are also so glad to be back with you this year! We are over the moon that Mr
Terry is keeping our favorite space on the interwebs going! Yeah!
Now Onto January!
This month Nutmeg is taking on learning how to be the best dogthat she can be!
And she is all about the WALKS! Mom still takes her out with the "rolls" when Alex is out of town (right now he is surviving the brutal cold and snow in Edmonton, AB). In the snow that can be difficult as the "rolls" has no treads and no suspension...but Mom does have spikes that she can put on the bottom of her boots. When it snows, Nutmeg does not get the 3-4 kms a day that she is accustomed too. Nutmeg has scheduled her walks for 7:15 am, 11:00 am and 3:30 pm - EVERYDAY! Mom is ever so happy when Alex is home!
And our Badge for the First Day of the Year!
We hope you are having an EXCELLENT New Year's Day! Mom's friend Mary will be over again today and Mom and her are going to Binge watch the Reacher TV show! We are are looking forward to the treats and skritches! (Mary is the best skritcher EVER)!
Quote from Susan Easterly
A Continuation from the Jokefest Yesterday...
What!?! You think you can do better Jo Jo?
She said YES!
And
she called up her bestest furrend Precious on Zoom. We have been
purraying for Precious and her 2 days at the hospital and we are glad to
hear that she is A-OK!
Funny, the jokes I've heard about Zoom aren't remotely funny...
I ran and got Kozmo - then they told another joke!
Then they watched the sheep!!!
Kozmo and I were shocked (NOT about the sheep doing Zoom-Baa) that Precious and Jo Jo were so funny!
