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Hey all,
While driving today, my mind wandered to what if I was in an accident with my dog in the car. If I was severely injured, what would happen to my dog? He is buckled up when we drive, but I was wondering if anyone would know what would happen. What if he was severely injured? Thanks for all answers!
I had a friend who was in a car accident and his dog was thrown into the back of the front seats. A good samaritan stopped and rushed the dog to a vet. He was treated and recovered fully.
There was an accident on the interstate and a dog ran away, someone found it and actually delivered the dog to the hospital. Another one ran across the highway and a quick thinking woman just opened her car door and the dog jumped right in.
There are many dog lovers who would stop and help!
I drove into my neighborhood a couple months back and I saw what was an elderly collie and I knew it wasn't normally around the neighborhood. I stopped to see if the dog was friendly and found it had a collar on it.
I took the dog home with me to call the owner but the children who were visiting someone came along and found it as I was taking her out of the car.
I would hate to have something like that happen, not know if my dog was OK.
Great question! I've wondered the same myself. The answers to this could be as varied as the situation in which you were traveling, but I'd make these recommendations:
1. Collar & tag your pet with pertinent info (Pet's name, Two reachable numbers - your's and someone you can trust with your pet's care);
2. Binder with at least most up-to-date health info (I simply insert a copy of each vet's bill into the binder for a history of care which has definitely proven very helpful),
3. Bottled Water;
4. *Treats;
5. Towel.
*I make my pet's food fresh (lucky dog!) , but if you feed your pet pre-packaged food, I'd also recommend taking a couple of day's supply with you and a note on what he eats (and how often/how much) in your binder.
In my purse, I carry a RED envelope, "In Case of Emergency" which hopefully someone would open if they found me injured and unable to respond. In this includes BRIEF, pertinent info for medical emergencies and "What to do..." if someone found me &/or my pup (Vet Info, Medical Release at least if you want them "saved" or "relieved" and the specifics for these, and someone acting as your "Pet Guardian").
When I travel (I travel a LOT), I make a list of vets along my travel route, checking out their websites before I leave home. I never know how long I'll be on-the-road, and, several times already, having the binder alleviated requirements for me to admit him as one of their ongoing patients for a full exam (@ $100+) just for a heartworm pill or to get his nails trimmed!
This is a LOT of info and my *first* post, so I don't know how long it will show on the thread, but I wanted to at least provide you what I'd recommend as essentials for traveling with your pet. Even if you are traveling only in-town and something happened, the same thing could apply if you were out for a few days. He'd still need food, water, and TLC.
P.S. I say my pup found me. He had been apparently abandoned on a deserted country road which I was traveling over a wintry holiday weekend. I drove to three vets until I found one available for immediate care. At 4 pounds, the vet estimated he was only 4 weeks old. He was emaciated, wormy, and had pneumonia. I adopted him and drove him home with me across the country. He was on meds for 6 weeks and two-hour rounds of potty stops. ... He is now 15 months, 32 healthy & trim pounds, has the energy of a toddler, and lives a very happy, well-loved life. *I* am the lucky one and couldn't imagine life without him! (Moral of the story: If something happened to you, there are many folks out there just like myself would would *love* to have a pup and be ready to take him in - injured or not. The more info you can provide, the better off he'd be - until you can be rejoined or in a transition to his new home.)
I also carry an "in case of emergency" note in my purse in the car. I'd certainly recommend that all dogs be tagged on their collars and microchipped. If you're injured in an accident, the dog might just run off. Collars fall off. Any vet or animal officer would think to scan for a chip. I have all my dogs chipped right away. The chip registry asks for a backup contact in case the dog is found when you're traveling or in the case of an accident.
I do microchip but never thought of all the information above with folder/note ICE thing. Maybe could put people who we use as IN CASE of EMERGENCY on our cell phones also our contacts for our pets if at scene. Also same number in the folder.
Great Ideas now will have to implement them myself!
Saw the responses to my ICE note... I do *not* have my pup chipped and have no plans to do so. My vet had originally discussed it with me, but after some studying and further discussion with her found that these chips can become dislodged under their skin and cause great harm. Not making a judgment for those who do chip, it's simply my preference not to do so. I have heard "collars can come off," and my pup's did come off once, but it was while I was walking himself myself bc I had loosened it while he was in a growth spurt. I was able to catch him. I'd guess I'd rather risk losing him at this point than chipping him, and that's a LOT to say - if you knew me and my pup. We come as a package deal. He goes pretty much *everywhere* I go.
Just another note - I use both a collar and a harness on him when traveling. He was in-between sizes for a gentle lead (I didn't like attaching the leash to his collar), and he just stopped growing at just that point!
His car harness was the only thing that fits him. So, if I was *going* to put him on some sort of travel stint without me, I would prefer to add a tag to the back of his harness hook in addition to the collar instead of chipping. Okay, okay... There's a LOT of info these days about chipping - I'm simply not a proponent of it. But I guess that is one of the traits that makes me an Alaskan at-heart. Not going with the flow...
I *do* have my Vet's number in my cell phone - speed dial.
Hey... Dreamhunter... we're in the same state. Are you an Alaskan wanna-be or someone who's returned? Or both?! I've been and am looking to return. Bc of my pup, I'm looking to drive the Alcan if I go - I was told this week by AMHS that the passport requirement has been postponed until at *least* 2009. (I'm not into chipping those either!) Anyway...
No intention to turn this into a chip-chat.
Alaska's a great place... ! And does not discriminate against pets or their human families - either of them chipped or unchipped.
Sorry not from Alaska,Wisconsin here.Would love Alaska for the hunting and such.
Against microchipping that is ok,not everyone is comfortable with it.
Maybe try a ear tattoo. My Aunt's dog has tattoo on belley but can only see if shaved. ID on halter be good that is what I need to do with my hounds while doing SAR.Even though never off lead something stupid could happen in woods or driving.
In file maybe updated photo of pet also may be good idea,with name and such so if lost have more info for others that may search for it.
Yes. I was going to add a photo to the last msgs but figured I'd added enough already! It was my *first* night on City-Data, and ... you can imagine! Lol. (I'm still awake, though not nearly as alert!) Lol. Yes. Photos of your pet are a great idea in order to assist in retrieving/finding him once he's lost! And re: AK, I was on the board there last night and thought I'd seen you post comments there. Again - I've been up all night, and on several boards, so it must have been this one. (Unless you *did* post on AK but simply aren't *from* or *going* to AK. Actually, in the binder, you can make it as elaborate as you want. I simply was keeping is short for the entry here. I keep the sheets in the plastic sheet protectors. Never know when puppy might have an accident, or in an accident, something get smeared. Also, if using it the way I do, it keeps the pages clean. For things like Rabies shot that is required only every three years, it's good to have the Vet's paperwork on-file. So it's where I simply keep all of it. We *have* used it several times... is very handy. In fact, if you use one of those slip-cover fronts, you can slide your pet's photo right in the front cover of the binder. Might make it easier to catch someone's attention - esp. to add wording or whatever. Lots of ideas!
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, but if you feed your pet pre-packaged food, I'd also recommend taking a couple of day's supply with you and a note on what he eats (and how often/how much) in your binder. 
