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Experts Offer Tips For Keeping Pets Safe During Road Trips

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With Memorial Day just weeks away and summer right around the corner, a lot of us will pack up the car and go on a road trip...and that trip may include the family pet. So how do you keep your pet safe during your time on the road?

Pet travel safety begins before your four-legged friend ever gets in your vehicle, according to Dr. Debbie Mandell with PennVet.

"You want to make sure that you have all of the necessary documentation," Mandell said. "You want to make sure they are up to date on their vaccines. You want to make sure you have a copy of their medical records."

Dr. Mandell says just like you may have to mentally prepare for a road trip, your pet may need to as well.

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"Take them for short rides before you take them for a long excursion," she recommended.

Kathleen Miller with AAA Mid-Atlantic says when pets are in the car, they should get the same treatment as everyone else. That means no heads out the window and no walking around.

"With our human passengers, we always tell them, you need to buckle up, every single time, and this goes just the same with your pet passengers," Miller said. "No matter if it's a road trip or you going down the street to the dog park."

Miller says when you get to your vacation destination, you should always know where the vet is and make sure that just like yourself, your pet is comfortable with their surroundings.

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