Travel tips I learned from Benji getting lost...
 

After Benji's ordeal, these are some of the things I learned we should all do when traveling with pets:

1. have them microchipped
2. keep a collar or harness on them with phone, name & address
3. remove them from the hotel room whenever possible until after housekeeping has cleaned up
4. keep them in a crate or ex-pen when left alone in the hotel room
5. put the "do not disturb" sign on the door when they are alone in the room

Feel free to add to this.

The only thing I can add is to list your cell phone and not home phone number if you have a land line on their tag. I had a neat tag made for Macy but put the land line number on it. I realized if we are on vacation, she gets lost and someone finds her they will call the home phone and no one will be there to answer. Had to get another tag made.

I wish they made little GPS clips you can put on a collar. They make something called TAGG that looks like it is for larger dogs and you can track where you dog or cat is on your cell phone. I think its called TAGG.

Guinness has TAGG, $8 a month

:thumbup:
6. place the crated or x-penned pup in the bathroom, close the door and hang another do not disturb tag on THAT door too! I had a door tag custom made that says, " WARNING!! Small dog that BITES BIG!!...DO NOT ENTER WITHOUT OWNER"!!!

Can you give a link to this? I tried to find it on Google and it kept coming up that the page didn't exist or was down or something. TIA :)

And I guess, if it's a small dog and does get lost, keep going back to an area within 5 miles of the disappearance site to search. Sounds like Benji didn't travel far in his 3 weeks on the loose. He was probably searching for his family for a good while after the initial fear or excitement of his getting out wore off and he settled down, stopped running. I'm sure glad he was in that warm climate and not somewhere it rains, sleets or snows and the temp drops low at night!

My father used to have hunting dogs and occasionally he said one would run off into the woods and get lost.....he would leave his jacket at the base of a tree, and then return to that spot everyday for a couple of weeks....he said every time he could remember, usually within a week of the dog getting lost, dad would go back on his daily "jacket check", and he would find that hunting dog curled up on that jacket, waiting for daddy to come back and get his jacket! So I guess they dont go far from say a 3 mile area, and with their sense of smell, when they locate something that belongs to their human, they just stay there and wait for their human to return.

Do not think placing a small puppy in the tub because I had a lady tell me about how one of her customer did that and the puppy licked the tub that still had cleaner in it and killed the puppy :(

Aww that's cute.

Thanks again!

To OP, I have nothing to add to your list except I almost always just board my pets when I travel (which is super rare for me the past few years).

The first thing I thought of was to stay at a hotel and not a motel. that way if the cleaning people open the door and the dog gets out, there are several doors and elevators etc that the dog would have to get through to get out to the street. So if the dog did get out, obviously a person took them.

Agreed. I feel safer in hotels for some reason. The room doors don't just open up into the great unknown - at least there are halls and other people right across the hall, etc. I never did think that one could also be buffer for my dog escaping into the open. And if happens to be a motel right on a highway or busy road - not good. I think a hotel is safer for a dog as far as it being harder for him to escape.

That's a sweet story and worth trying. If the piece of clothing disappears because you are in the city or something, you could just bring another article of clothing each time you returned to the spot.

We travel with ours quite a bit and here are a few things I've learned...

If you have 'call forwarding' on your home phone forward it to your cell phone before you leave...this way you can be reached no matter which number they call.

Always use the window lock on the back windows in your vehicle. We went to Tennessee to pick up our new car a couple of years ago and Moo hit the window button and had her head sticking out while we were going down the highway. Yah, I know, but they get sick if they ride in a crate so they were in the back seat in their beds. They now have seatbelts and I always check the window lock button before we leave.

I carry paperwork with their microchip numbers, their vet info and a current photo of each of them...also instructions as to who to call if something should happen to us so they don't end up lost in a shelter somewhere.

We were in an accident in '02 and our Yorkie was with us...I refused to be taken without him because they were going to take him to a shelter until we were released. I said 'NO!' so they took him with me and called our son on the way...he met us at the ER and took Boog to his house to wait for us.

I can't stress enough that everyone should have their dogs microchipped...yes, speaking from personal experience here...it saved 2 of my dogs that never would have found their way back to me if they hadn't been chipped. But, here is some information that you may not know...if your dog was chipped at Banfield (like my girls were by their breeder) they actually use 2 chips with 2 different numbers so make sure you have both numbers with you just in case. Also, one of my little rescue boys was imported from Germany and some of the scanners they have here don't read the European chips but most facilities should be able to find a dual scanner from a vet or shelter in their area so please be prepared with that information in case you would need it.

Great thread! It definitely gave me a little reminder. Jackson usually only stays in a hotel when we visit Gettysburg every year and I was always nervous about it. I blockaded off the door with a little gate I had -- just in case the door was opened, so he couldn't get out easily. But now I think I will bring an expen and put him in it when we leave. We also only leave for a very brief period of time (out to dinner).

**use zip ties on kennel doors to ensure they stay secured even if popped open.

Utalize cheap online hidden cameras thay stream live to your smart phone.

OMG!! I am phobic about where my dogs walk....when we used to travel with the dogs, I ALWAYS put their x-pens on those blue tarps you buy at ACE, and then their pee pads go on top of the tarp, etc...my dogs dont ever walk on the carpet....you have no idea what has walked on that carpet before you! And in the bathroom, they are crated or in their x-pen, again on the tarp with pee pads, not EVER directly on the floor or IN THE TUB!!!!!!!! Usually the crates lined up side by side under the sink area nicely....

Do you keep it on him all the time? How big is it?

This summer. Went stayed in a Comfort Inn I crated Bella. Always. And I never let housekeeping clean till I'm completely done with the room. I have both home and cell numbers along with address on her tags. Not microchipped. In the past we have hauled our horse trailer to stay in and when I leave Bella in the living area, always lock the door, even tho it's on family property. Next week we are going to Texas, renting a camper at a resort and when we go somewhere she will be crated at my daughters place.

Tibbe's Home Again collar/harness tag came today. It has the 1-888-466-3242 number to call Home Again and report a found dog. The finder reads the chip number from the tag to Home Again, they look it up and contact the owner of record that the dog has been found. Also, Home Again has something called Pet Rescue, an email alert service for Home Again participants. If you call Home Again to report you've lost a pet, they email alert everyone in the system signed up for Pet Rescue o be on the alert for the lost dog. I think the dog's picture goes out in the email but I'm not certain of that or if it is just a physical description, details of last seen time, date, etc., but I think it said that the picture is sent along if one is on the Home Again website. As Bengi stayed so close to where he escaped, I imagine that Home Again would email everyone in the program within that zip code or codes for up to 10 miles I think it is to be on th alert for him had he been an HA chipped dog. Anyway, Pet Rescue is just another little chance of finding your dog.

I forgot great for travel even if your dog is microchopped... USB tags on the harness D-ring.

Works on any pc or mac or usb device shows any and all contact information allows for travel notices and a special section for food needs or medical needs of your dog.

Haven't used mine yet but my grandma found it-she always give the handiest gadgets!

Got to check those out. Thanks.

I just never leave my two alone in the hotel. That is my advice. This would have never happened if Bengi were not left. If I can't take my two, they stay with my mom at her house so they are safe.

Maaan...:(

I am not sure if this has been mentioned, but... If you are staying in a hotel, ask in advance the setup. Enclosed hotels (rooms facing inward leading to a hallway) vs. Outdoor (doors leading to the outside). I would think enclosed rooms are the better of the two.

My vet always gives me two copies of his medical records and pretty much demands you keep one in your glovebox with your ins and registration doc's because there are always those times you let them ride to pick up something.

I read somewhere that having the actual chip # is NOT a good idea. If someone stole your dog, they could change the registry information or if someone failed to register then they have the information handy to register a dog thats not theirs.

I personally called home again and asked them their policy on registering and re-registering chips. There are additional security things that need to be met to make changes on the registry. I can't speak on them all.

:thumbup::thumbup: Same here.. I always fear the housekeepers would accidentally let him out, or even steal him. You just never know, Peanut is safer with my Mom and has a great time!

This is great, but if they were stolen... They can just take the collar off right? The website says " Tagg -- The Pet Tracker is only recommended for dogs that weigh 10 lbs or more." How much does Guinness weigh?