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...
