IT WAS 1992, and I had just bought a new Proton Saga – my first car. The last thing I wanted in my beautiful, clean, just-off-the-assembly-line mode of transportation and symbol of pride was a dog. Especially the big, furry type that drools by the buckets.
Taffeta Jane was this quasi-sheepdog – sort of a mixed breed with silky dark blonde fur that made her look like a canine Rod Stewart. Her warm chestnut eyes and a tail that wagged round the clock could make anyone fall in love with her.
One blistering afternoon, her owners wanted her to be taken to a friend’s place about 15km away and pleaded with me to do them the favour.
What could possibly go wrong, I thought naively, and obliged.
Off I went with Taffy sitting regally at the back seat. After a short distance, she got restless and started twitching around. Then she tried to gnaw at bits of remaining plastic wrapping that had earlier covered the car seats. All this activity made her pant a lot more and her body odour was starting to bother me.
That’s when I decided to turn off the air-con and roll the driver’s seat window all the way down.
All of a sudden, Taffy placed her head on my right shoulder and shoved her face out of the window. I had to drive with my head tilted to the left. Which was not too much of a problem until she started drooling in her excitement. The wind splattered the saliva all over my face. By the end of the 20-minute trip, I was hot, sweaty and smelt like a dog.
This, I recently found out, was one of the biggest mistakes anyone could ever make when travelling with a dog.
According to SPCA, pets should not be allowed to romp all over the car because they could distract the driver and this can lead to accidents.
The organisation’s public relations officer Stacia Leong says that the safest way to travel with a pet is to put them in a crate or pet carrier.
Folding kennels or crates especially designed for cars can be most useful for dogs and cats.
“This will restrict them from jumping all over the place.” She adds: “Dogs should never travel in an open bed of a pickup truck.”
If you are one of those who believe that civil liberties should be extended to animals and that they should not be caged, then one school of thought suggests that the pets be taught to lie quietly and keep their heads inside.
“Don’t let your dog stick his head in the wind. It can irritate eyes and cause problems,” it says in Seniors-Site (http://seniors-site.com/travel/ pets.html).
It also says that cats are often frightened by car travel, but some cats adjust quickly. Some persons allow the cat to find its own place in the car; others feel it is best to confine a cat to its carrier.
Ultimately, to cage the pet or not is up to you to decide but the cardinal rule here is not to let the pet have a field day in the car or stick its head out and pretend to be Kate Winslet in Titanic.
To get your pet used to travelling by car, make short trips with the pet to teach it how to behave. Then gradually increase the distance.
“This also helps reduce stress as some pets might be terrified of the new environment or of being confined in the car,” says Leong.
Some pets can travel for long hours and some cannot even take a half an hour ride. It all depends on the individual animal and how used to rides they are, adds Leong.
Another problem that could arise when travelling with a pet is motion sickness.
SPCA suggests that pets be fed small meals before the journey.
“Water is usually okay. This is the same as for humans where we are advised not to eat too much or right before a journey,” says Leong.
“Pets afflicted with motion sickness begin to drool, feel nauseous and may develop vomiting or diarrhoea.”
To prevent this ugly scenario, Leong says to punctuate your travel with as many rest stops as you would for a child.
“Pets need ample time to stretch their legs and to go to the bathroom.”
Make sure there is plenty of fresh water for the journey and plan ahead for emergencies, that is if the car breaks down. Bring some food and snacks also, for such cases.
And to keep your pet occupied, bring along its favourite toy.
Gwenkens Sdn Bhd group managing director Edmund de Run said: “You have to observe your pet. When the pet salivates excessively that is the first sign of distress. Keep your vets telephone number with you at all times so as to call him if you see changes in your animals behaviour and sudden changes.”
For this reason, he suggests that pets are best taken for rides before feeding .
The last word from SPCA, never leave your pet in the car alone. The hot weather and high temperatures in cars can result in heatstroke or death.
For more information on pet travel, call 03-4253 5179 or log on to www.spca.org.my.