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Making Vacation Safe for Furry Friends Takes Planning

15 August 2000

Expanded and Revised ``AAA Traveling With Your Pet Guide'' Released

    LOS ANGELES - An expanded and enhanced edition of the "Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA Petbook(R)" is now available in bookstores and through the Automobile Club of Southern California.

    New to the 2000 edition are:

-- Driving directions, including highway exit numbers, to more than 10,000 AAA-Rated accommodations in North America that accepts pets; -- Pet insurance information; -- Current listings for animal clinics that offer emergency veterinary care; -- Revised lodging listings with pet-specific details for fees, deposits and other pet-related information.

    "This new information not only makes the book more useful, it also provides an added measure of security for pets and their owners," said Tim Irwin, managing director of travel products and services for the Auto Club. "Vacations should be as safe as they are fun for all members of the family."

    In addition, "Traveling with Your Pet," includes detailed information on traveling by car or air, preparing for the trip, selecting a travel kennel, loss prevention tips and taking an outdoor or active vacation.

    The guide also provides a list of public lands in North America that allow pets, information for travelers with disabilities who travel with companion animals and border crossing information for transporting pets between the United States and Canada.

    The book is available to AAA members for $6.95 who purchase it at local offices of the Automobile Club of Southern California. It is also distributed to bookstores through Simon and Schuster with a retail price of $13.95.

    The Auto Club offers the following tips when traveling with pets:

-- Purchase a good quality carrier for your pet. It provides not only a transit purpose, but provides your pet with a safe, reassuring place to stay when confinement is necessary. Before the trip, acclimate your pet so he views the crate as a cozy den, not a cage. -- Heed airlines' restrictions on pet travel, and carefully investigate animal welfare policies to make certain the airline has safeguards to protect your pet from these potentially deadly conditions. -- If traveling by car in hot weather do not allow your pet to become overheated. Use air conditioning and have a fresh supply of cool water available. If your vehicle does not have air conditioning, keep the car ventilated and try to drive during the coolest times -- before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. On a warm day the air inside a closed car can quickly reach life-threatening temperatures, even when the windows are cracked. In cold weather the temperature inside a car drops quickly, creating the danger of hypothermia. For these reasons, pets should never be left unattended in a parked vehicle. -- Inquire about pet policies before making lodging reservations. Hotels and motels may have restrictions on the type or size of pet allowed. If you have a dog, get a room on the first floor with direct access outside. -- Above all, practice good "petetiquette." Barking dogs do not make good hotel neighbors -- keep your pet quiet. Keep your pet and the housekeeper from having an unexpected encounter. Leave the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door if you go out without your pet. And, lastly, always clean up after your pet immediately -- inside and outside of the room.

    The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest AAA affiliate, has been serving members since 1900. Today, Auto Club members benefit from roadside assistance, insurance products and services, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing programs, automotive testing and analysis, trip planning services, highway and transportation safety programs and legislative advocacy.