Evacuating

[Pixelgal]

Hi everyone,

This might seem like a strange question, but after the past two hurricane seasons, I'm trying to be prepared.

For those of you who have pugs who don't do the crate thing (Sophie looks at me like Momma, I don't do that crate thing), how do you travel with them?

When we've had to evacuate I'm looking at a 6-9 hour drive (depending on traffic) up to my parent's house where the dogs and I will stay in the guest room. The past two years Oreo's gone in her kennel and her kennel has gone in the guest room with me. Suggestions for a puggie evacuation plan????

Pixel (new Pug Foster Mom in need of advice)

[Puggie Baby]

I live in Louisiana, but haven't had to evacuate with Tonka. He refuses to ride crated in the car (you'd think someone was killing him) like he used to do when he was little. We bought him a car seat with a harness strap. We got him the "oversized" one so he could lay down and sleep.

[TxAllieGrl]

Mine will not ride crated in the car either. I have a strap that hooks through a seatbelt, and then hooks to their harness. There's enough room for them to turn around, or get more comfy, but not enough so that they roam all over the car.

There's also a harness that fleece lined that can be used to buckle them in as well.

[Pixelgal]

Thanks Kristy and Allie,

I got one of those straps at my local Pet Smart while we were getting Sophie's picture taken with Santa on Sunday. It worked really well on the ride home. Sophie was sitting on my lap as usual while DH drove, but I didn't have to worry about holding onto her quite so tightly since we were belted in together.

I think that Sophie will travel in the car without a kennel ok, but what do you do when you get where you are going. Do your pugs sleep with you (Sophie's sleeping place of choice is with DH or I) or do you take a doggie bed? We've got Sophie a doggie bed but so far it seems to come in a far second to sleeping with Mom and Dad ;)

Thanks!
Pixel (new pug foster mom to Sophie)

[TxAllieGrl]

Two of mine sleep with me, one sleeps in his kennel (he's young and I don't trust him not to potty on the bed).

It'd be that way anywhere I take them - my girls won't sleep anywhere else but with me. They aren't spoiled...no - really!

When I'm traveling, and can't take them, they stay at home and a petsitter drops by. They have their own area in the breakfast nook with a big fluffy bed, and that's where the girls stay. The little boy (Bello) is semi-crated, with a little pee pad area.

[Ebony's Dad]

Ebony travels in this model of canine car seat. When we went to visit in-laws in Colorado last year - it also doubled as her bed.



As far as evacuating for a hurricane, that is simple (I am a native of Florida - I know when to get the heck out of there, believe me!!! :cheshire: ). What we did was keep jugs of fresh water ready to go, a week's worth of dog food, duplicates of a few of their favorite toys, extra medications, a canine first aid kit, potty clean up stuff (scooper and bags), extra leashes and collars (with extra sets of dog tags), and bedding gear. We would put this kit together at the start of the hurricane season and remove the food/water/medication components at the end of the hurricane season. Leaving the rest of the stuff together meant that the kit could be reassembled for the following year in about 10 minutes. One note to remember: If you use extra sets of ID tags like we do - please make sure to update them every year.

[Lins605]

Hi,
I am from New Orleans and evacuated with Andie to my brother's house in Baton Rouge for Katrina. Whenever Andie rides in the car with me she lays down in the passenger seat and is fine. She has always been good in the car because I went to school in Athens, Georgia and she was making the eight hour drive with me from there back to New Orleans at an early age. I thought about getting her a car seat, but I am not sure that she would stay in it. Also, Andie sleeps with me whereever we go. She is soo spoiled like that. When I have to go out of town my mom watches her and she even sleeps with her and my stepfather in the bed!!! I hope this helps and hopefully we will not have to be evacuating for many hurricanes this season!!

[TessiesMom]

When we evacuated for Katrina, 3 pugs came with me, and 2 went with my husband. I don't have car seats for them, but they ride in the back seat. I make sure i have their bed, or a blanket to lie on, which makes them more comfortable. A trip that is normally 6 hours took 8. Some was traffic, but the rest of the extra time was frequent pee and water stops. I made sure not to feed them the morning we left, so no one would have to poop.

Also make sure you have well fitting harnesses on them. Toogie wiggled out of her harness at one stop and gave us a big scare when she got frightned and started to run. She did stop when we said "treat".

Also, bring your own water with you and a bowl. Some places we stopped for pee breaks did not have any place to get water. We would stop at rest areas with no facilities and such. And if they have any toys make sure those are close at hand. It gives them something to do during the trip.

[chichamommy]

we evacuated once last year can't remember which storm it was now [there were so many ] anyway i put their harneses with their leashes and then wrap the leashes around the head rests in the back seat. of coarse i only had 2 then charlotte was preg... last week when i took them to the parade i had the 2 boys and char in the back seat boys together on a y hook and char by her self. chino [ the head honcho] sat in the front most of the time on the floor or in my g- daughters lap... there is NO way i can put him and chesney together. chino just "loves" chesney way too much know what i mean ???? the boys can stay in a crate shar and chino have never been in one though i do have a x-pen and they all did well in that while we were preparing for the parade last week.....