24.5 Pets in the car

Small and medium dogs (around 15 lb [7 kg]) fit in a carrier and can also ride in a safety harness. A loose dog becomes a projectile in a crash, distracts the driver, and can escape when you open the door.

1. Choose the system. A hard carrier for a small or medium dog, secured with the seat belt or with straps to the floor of the cargo area; or a car safety harness (not the collar) clipped to the seat belt. One per pet, never two together in one carrier.
2. Get them used to it beforehand. Short car rides inside the carrier, with a treat. A dog that has never traveled this way gets stressed, pants, and may vomit.
3. Double identification. An ID tag with your cell number and your out-of-state contact's; a microchip with updated information; a recent photo of each pet on your phone and on paper (chapter 2, section 2.9).
4. Water and stops. Offer water at every stop. Take your pets out only with the leash already on before you open the door; rest areas along the highway are dangerous for a dog that gets loose.
5. Heat. Make sure the air conditioning reaches the back seat or the cargo area; direct sun on a carrier heats it up a lot. Use sunshades on the side windows.
6. Never leave them alone in a parked car, not even "for a minute." The inside can heat up 20 °F (11 °C) in 10 minutes (chapter 10). At stops, one adult stays with the pets and the engine running with the A/C on, or the pets get out on a leash.