Barbara
McCreadie

orn COLUMN is long
overdue — it was requested

- by.a reader several months
ago _ ee 4

Our pets: area big part of our

. lives. We'have them so we can ©

turn ourselves into willing slaves

«and never get it thrown back in our
faces... + ,

“> Wecan.talk the worst combina:
ion of gobbledygook ata dog or
at and it won't question our sani-

ty. They tolerate, even ‘demand,’
‘more hugs and kisses than the
average human without question-

’ ing first if we’ve taken out the

“garbage. "=:

‘They lower our. blood | pressure.
They approve of us. :

One of my daughters has a —

bumper sticker, “The more people

I meet, the more I like my dog.”
“Could be true. ;

. There is only one thing that

; makes me reluctant to trave]| — I ,
have to leave my cats behind.
In general, cats are best left at

home. My experience has been
‘that it is best to leave them in the.
“house rather than to take them to
* boarding kennels. .:

As long as someone visits '
every day. for feeding, sandbox:

patrol and ear scratching, a cat will
tolerate being left behind rather
well. For long trips, we arrange a
live-in housesitter,

Some cats do travel well, ffa
cat has been taken along from the
time it was a kitten, it will often
settle down happily for extended
car trips.

I think it depends entirely on
the personality of the cat,

I hesitate to load Ginger in the
van even as far as our vet's office.

- Even though he is in a roomy car-

rier, he is downright

"antsy and | know he'd

bolt ina heartbeat if

_he ever got loose.

On the other hand,
our old Timmy (long
gone to the sandbox .
in the sky) liked to.
travel, We thought
nothing of tossing
Tim in the back of the
car with the kids and

“taking off for a week,

He liked motels, trot- — -

ted along behind the dog at rest
stops and came instantly when he
was called. A rare cat.

Preparing to travel
with a pet

All pets should be currently
immunized for their own safety.
Check with your vet, especially
when travelling with a dog. There
are canine problems such.as heart-
worms that your pet must be pro-
tected against.

. Also, all animals must have a
current rabies certificate if you re
going across the border.

Identification is essential. Ear:
tattoos are now common, usually
done when your pet is under gen-
cral anesthetic during neutering.

' However, a tattoo from North
Vancouver is probably of little
value if you lose your dog in
Wyoming. Onc plus: Animal shel-
ters will generally hoid onto lost
animals a lot longer if they are tat-

tooed.

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Both dogs and cats should wear
collars when travelling, Most
important is your telephone num-
ber with area code, One of your
first moves, if you lose your pet on
the road, is to call home and have
your telephone monitored,

it is also essential to have a car-
rying case for your pet. Even if
you have no intention of hoisting
100 pounds of dog in a case, you
may require a secure place to leave
the animal, perhaps in a motel
room when you go out for dinner.

. 66 He liked motels, trotted
along behind the dog at rest stops
and came instantly when he
was called. A rare cat.99

“The maids will appreciate it.
A leash, even for cats, is also
essential. You'll find a harness-
leash combination a lott more sen-
sible for a cat.

I hardly need to mention food
and dishes, but take a full supply
of the animal’s regular food since
your brand may not be available.

Don’t forget the can opener! .

Cats and many small dogs use
sandboxes. | found that carrying

’ the thing in a sealed garbage bag

worked well, but all this equip-
ment doesn’t leave a lot of room
for baggage. Are you sure you still
want to haul Pretty Paws along?

If you intend to travel with
your pet, get them used to sleeping
in their case with the door open.

ie
ith

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J.

This climinates having to haul dog
beds!

Cats often like the security of
an enclosed place to sleep, espe-
cially if you place a cosy bit of
bedding from home on the bottom.

On the road

If the car is too hot for you, it’s
twice too hot for a pet. Never
leave the pet in a car, even with
open windows, on a sunny day.

Travelling with an animal tim-
its your freedom, but
it’s one of the prices ,
you pay. .

Stop frequently |
when travelling with a
dog. Give him water

ly find it better to feed
the dog its main meal
in the evening, after
you "ve stopped for the

day.

Our Timmy liked to

be given his sandbox
on 1 the floor of the back seat and -

he seemed to appreciate it if we all, ,

got out of the car, shut the doors
and left him to it for a few min-
utes, . :
Many motel chains welcome
pets. If you’re concerned, get a
motel guide for the places you’l!
be stopping and beok ahead.

If you're winging it, don’t

leave it too fate in.the day. And try,
to avoid rural areas. where the only

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and a walk. You'll like-.

motel in town may say “no pets,”
Regular grooming is essential
when you're travelling. Every time
you take your dog fora walk in -
strange places you're asking to
pick up fleas, ticks and burrs.
Fleas and burrs are fairly easy
to deal with, but I won't touch
ticks — I'd find a vet. Stay on top
of the problem ‘unless you want a
car full of fleas or worse... ;
I hope that your first trip with a

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