Dog-Friendly Used-Car Retailer CarStore and leading animal welfare charity, Battersea, provide their ultimate guide on travelling safely with a pooch in 2023.

Ahead of the final May Bank Holiday and for many school's half term holidays, plenty of Brits are planning road trips, while others are looking for a last-minute staycation. But for many the decision whether to take their four-legged friend with them can cause added stress, as can the prospect of how it will be travelling with their beloved pets. Many see their dogs as another member of their family, so like travelling with any other passengers, safety is key. Travelling has the potential to be stressful for your dog and the motion of a moving car could also cause them to be sick. Dogs show distress in a number of ways, including barking, whining, heavy panting, vomiting or even refusing to get into the car in the first place.

So how do we overcome this and how do we travel with our canine companions safely? The nation's most dog-friendly car brand CarStore and animal welfare experts from Battersea have put together their top travelling tips:

Buckle Up

• Use a good quality safety harness or crate to keep your dog in one place and safe from jumping around the car. This will help them, you and other passengers from not getting injured if you have to suddenly stop or perform an emergency brake.

A Few of My Favourite Things

• Ensure your dog has familiar surroundings, by taking some of their favourite toys or blankets with them to help them relax through the journey. This will ease any anxiety and distress. Speak to them in a soothing and reassuring tone and switch on a calming radio station – Classic FM always works a treat!

Calm Their Nerves

• If your dog has a nervous disposition around the car itself, then find some time, when you don’t need to take them anywhere, and get them used to being around the vehicle. Create reward-based praise every time they get into the vehicle, so they start to create positive associations to the car.

Whatever the Weather

• As the weather heats up, always carry water in the car for you and your dog. Dogs can quickly become dehydrated on long journeys. There are plenty of nifty water bottles on the market specifically for dogs that turn into bowls, for easy drinking and storage. Never leave animals in a vehicle unattended and refrain from taking journeys when the temperature is too hot.

Pet Stops

• On longer journeys, take regular stops so dogs can stretch their legs, rehydrate and have their toilet break.

Wind Down

• Lower the window slightly for fresh air, especially on warmer days. If you’re planning a longer, motorway stretch where having the windows down isn’t practical, make sure you have fans or the AC working, so your dogs can keep cool. Cooling dog blankets and a summer haircut may also come in handy.

Rob Miller, Head of CarStore Operations, said: “We always encourage customers to create a positive association with their dog and the car so they are comfortable when it comes to travelling with them. Our specially trained advisors can help you from the start of the buying journey with lots of dog friendly advice and tips. Our showrooms are really dog friendly and welcome you brining your canine pal with you when you are looking for a new car”.

Rob Bays, Canine Behaviour and Training Manager at Battersea, said: “With summer fast approaching and many pet owners set to travel this Bank Holiday weekend, to ensure fun is had by everybody it’s important to travel safely and wisely with your pets. When in the car with your dog they should feel comfortable in their environment to reduce stress and anxiety, so familiarising your pet with your vehicle before embarking on a long journey will help them get used to travelling. Pets should also be suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you’re driving or cause undue injury to you, or themselves. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, pet crate or guard are all suitable ways to travel safely with your pet. Most importantly, don’t forget to take water with you and stop regularly to give your dog a chance to stretch their legs and take a comfort break and remember it gets hot in the car very quickly on sunny days, so make sure your dog is kept nice and cool throughout your journey.”

For more information please visit: https://www.battersea.org.uk/pet-advice/dog-advice/gettingyour-dog-used-car-travel and https://www.carstore.com/advice/pets

NOTES TO EDITORS

Contact: Nancy.gallacher@reputationbymaverick.com

CarStore

CarStore is Pendragon’s market-leading used vehicle offering providing a unique hybrid customer interaction model which seamlessly blends digital and physical locations. Consumers have the flexibility and freedom to buy, sell or service their vehicle in a way that works best for their individual needs and lifestyle.

CarStore Personal Advisors provide informed and impartial guidance at every stage of a

consumers buying, selling, or servicing journey whether that’s online, over the phone or inperson at CarStore Experience Centres and CarStore Direct locations nationwide. All vehicles on sale through CarStore go through an Approved 123-point inspection, comprehensive background checks and road-test by expert technicians. All vehicles are provided to customers with a 90-day limited warranty as standard and a 14-day no-obligation trial with a money back guarantee.

Visit www.CarStore.com to find out more, search current vehicle stock and find details of the nearest CarStore Experience Centre.

Battersea

• At Battersea we offer our love and expert care to dogs and cats who need us by rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals at our centres, and by sharing our knowledge and resources with rescue organisations around the world. We do this because we want to help every dog and cat, everywhere.

• In 2022 Battersea directly cared for 2,278 dogs and 2,253 cats at our three centres. We also helped thousands more through our Communities programme, campaigning work, supporting other rescues and animal welfare advocates, and sharing knowledge and advice with pet owners.

• In addition to the site in Brands Hatch, Kent, Battersea also has two other centres based in Old Windsor, Berkshire and South West London.

• To find out more visit our website or follow Battersea on Twitter @battersea_ , Instagram @battersea or facebook.com/Battersea

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