If you're traveling with a pet...

[TrainChaser]

I've done most of my camping with a dog, and when I was living in the van for 7 months, I had a dog and a cat.  Except for the cat being stolen by gypsies (really!), we didn't have any problems.  But I've certainly seen a lot of people who seemed to have the intelligence of lima beans in regards to their pets.

Train them to a leash.  Yes, cats can be trained to a harness and leash; they don't usually heel on command, but with some care and training, they don't panic or just flop over and refuse to move.  Being smarter than the cat helps a lot.

Keep the dog with you.  People who let them run because they're out in the country are begging for trouble, but they do it all the time.  It's stupid, but they do it.  They like to see the dog being "free".  They tend not to think about "dead" or "maimed".
* They want the dog to pick up a bunch of ticks so they can complain about them and worry about Lyme Disease. 
* They want the dog to be attacked by coyotes: hamstrung, killed and eaten. 
* They want them to be exposed to rabid animals (rabies is in the wildlife in all 50 states). 
* They want to have them shot by ranchers or farmers for chasing their livestock or wildlife (deer, elk, etc). 
* They want them to be destroyed or impounded by federal authorities on government land, with the owner charged for boarding, feed, vet fees, transportationa & disposal. [per 50 CFR 28.43, & 36 CFR 2.15 (Title 36)
* They want them to get lost or stolen.

You should have a collar on the pet, with the rabies vaccination tag and a stamped ID tag with your LEGIBLE and CURRENT contact info.  If your pet bites someone and you don't have proof of rabies vaccination, the pet is usually destroyed immediately and the brain examined for rabies.  If the pet is or was ever vaccinated, they usually put it in confinement for about 10 days, which you pay for.  (They will check the rabies tag number with the vet that gave the vaccination, and check the description, so don't try putting an old tag from another dog on the biter.)

Get the pet microchipped.  There are basically three brands:  AVID, Home Again, and a new one, Save This Life.  Having a vet insert the chips usually costs between $25 and $45.  Then you register the chip, which costs about $20, which is a single fee for the pet's lifetime, BUT HomeAgain will try to sell you extra services for a $20 fee every year, which you don't need to accept.

All of these will register the other chips, too.  For instance, if you have a dog with an AVID chip, a cat with a HomeAgain chip, and a parrot with a SaveThisLife chip, any of the companies will add the other chip numbers to their database (for a registration fee).  For more info, see the websites below.

AVID: https://avidid.com/
HomeAgain:  http://microchip.homeagain.com/index.html
SaveThisLife:  https://www.savethislife.com/

SaveThisLife differs from the other two in that they provide a tag with the chip number on it, so the finder can contact you via e-mail.  All of them have 24-hour contact numbers.  If your contact info changes, don't forget to contact the company and let them know.

Most vet clinics, all animal shelters, and many law enforcement officers have the scanners that will read the chip number and identify the brand.  But most of them will not read foreign ISO chips.

Take some decent photos of your pet.  A nice, clear head shot and a full-body view.  You can use these to make flyers for posting around the area, checking the local dog pound/shelter, and for adding to Craigslist/Community/Lost&Found (LAF) and also for posting at Craigslist/Community/PETS.  Check both -- some finders post on one, and the owner posts on the other, and the twain don't meet. DO NOT post the chip number!

Some dogs are tattooed, but usually no one knows where to go to track the owner down.  It's best used as a proof of ownership after the pet is found.

IF YOU FIND A CHIPPED PET:  Take it to any vet or shelter and have them scan it (or you can check online for the SaveThisLife tag number), and the chip company will give them the contact info of the owners.  If the contact info is out of date, have them call the chip company back and ask WHERE the animal was chipped, then have them call that clinic and ask if they have updated info.  Many clinics/shelters don't know that they can do this last bit, so be aware that you will probably have to insist.

If you lose a cat, put its crate out -- it might come back when things quiet down.  Otherwise, you might be able to find a shelter or rescue, or just buy a humane trap for $35 to $50 at a large pet shop (PetSmart, PetCo, or Harbor Freight) and put something that has its own smell or yours into the trap.  Food usually attracts the wrong animals.

 

[DannyB1954]

I don't remember which chip my dog has, but when I called the company they would not update my address without a $60 a year contract.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I won't lie, I miss the days when everyone's dogs ran free. Growing up my dog and all the neighborhood dogs were free to roam. He followed me to the bus stop every morning then was free to do as he pleased and no lie was waiting for me 7 hours later when I got off the bus, multiple dogs in the neighborhood waited for their people to get off the bus.

Everyone in the neighborhood knew everyone elses dog and because of that we all knew our neighbors. Now I feel like knowing anyone besides who lives immediately next door is unheard of.

 

[IanC]

I'm with you on that. My mom had a bell she'd ring at Coco's dinner time and he'd come tearing down the road from wherever he'd been hanging out. We were living in East Africa at the time, where wildlife is WILDLIFE.
Dogs didn't live as long as they do now, but freedom always has more danger than confinement - for them and us too.

 

[TrainChaser]

I don't remember which chip my dog has, but when I called the company they would not update my address without a $60 a year contract.

$60???  Are you in the U.S.?   Is it an ISO chip?  I believe ISO chips are international, but I think the only place in the U.S. that uses them are the Banfield clnics in PetSmart.  Most U.S. scanners can't read ISO chips, just RFID chips.  Most registries for RFID chips are about $20, and each company will register other RFID chips.

The next time you take your dog to the vet, ask them to scan him -- it may idenify the chip company.

Yes, letting dogs run free is nice, but there are just too many aggressive dogs, fast cars and nasty people.  Sort of like expecting a safe life just because you're human. 

 

[mayble]

I don't remember which chip my dog has, but when I called the company they would not update my address without a $60 a year contract.

24PetWatch has lifetime registration for $65.  I think the chip cost me $10 from the SpayNeuterExpress bus that makes the rounds.
I have no patience for people who let their dogs (and cats) roam free.  It's dangerous for the pet and harassing wildlife is just plain wrong as well as illegal.

 

[DannyB1954]

The chip was put in when I got her from the animal shelter in Oakland Ca. SPCA that was in 2008.
I had the vet scan her recently to see if the chip still worked. It had moved to the side, but was still working.
The vet gave me the chip ID and a flyer to the company to contact them for an address change.
I called the phone number on the flyer and they said it was not theirs and gave me another phone number to call.
I called them, gave the ID number and told them I needed an address change. ( I had moved a distance in the last 8 years).
They said I would have to pay their annual maintenance fee of $60. I had the money, but I hate being ripped off.
When I paid for the chip I was told it was a lifetime deal.
I live on 2 1/2 acres and let her run loose on the property. ( she only goes over to the neighbor's house to claim her treat).
People, will drive by, open their door and call her to come in. I keep an eye on her so when I come out to intervene I get the ohh I thought she was lost, she should be on a leash routine. On my property I do not need a leash. Being able to prove I own the dog is important if someone does manage to get the dog in the car. I will give chase in my truck.

 

[TrainChaser]

1.  Enroll a single pet in the PETtrac Pet Recovery Network for $19.95. Enroll multiple pets (up to three pets) in the PETtrac Pet Recovery Network for $49.95. Each enrollment includes lifetime registration

2.  Read this:  https://avidid.com/pet-owners/pet-tags

3.  Call AVID:  1-800-336-2843   24/7

4.  SPEAK!  Good Boy!

 

[XFILE36]

Awesome advice.  The only thing about the microchip is, police can track you.  I am NOT a law breaker, but if the "mark of the beast" is a microchip, I'm not having it.

 

[TrainChaser]

XFILE: "The only thing about the microchip is, police can track you. I am NOT a law breaker, but if the "mark of the beast" is a microchip, I'm not having it."

*sigh*

The common rice-grain-sized pet microchip cannot be tracked. It can only be read when a scanner is run over the skin above it. A locator-type unit requires an attached battery.

If you wanted to be able to track your pet, you would need to have a GPS Pet Tracker on the pet's collar. The GPS Pet Tracker consists of a GMS module, GPS-antenna, LED and a battery. They are about 2x2x.5" in size. Their battery life runs between 2 and 5 hours. To find the pet, you would have to be within cell tower range, same as for a phone. If YOU wanted to be tracked, you would have to be wearing the same type of unit.

Here is more info on the pet trackers, which run between $100 and $200: https://www.thepawtracker.com/blogs...dog-and-cat-cell-phones-best-of-2016-reviewed

 

[Thirsty Boots Nomad]

The common rice-grain-sized pet microchip cannot be tracked.  It can only be read when a scanner is run over the skin above it.  A locator-type unit requires an attached battery.

And sometimes not even then; ... when I was active in dog rescue we had numerous instances where pets were scanned for chips that "migrated" away from the injection site and couldn't be found with a scanner.  If a chip couldn't be found with a scanner just above an animal's skin, it's highly improbable anyone/anything could track someone's location from anywhere more remote than that.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I don't think the word "usually" is accurate here.  I'd say usually they're confined for 10 days to see if they exhibit any signs of the disease.  These guidelines will vary widely between jurisdictions.  

Even if if it's not current, they're most likely still vaccinated if you've had one in the past.  Most studies show the rabies vaccine is at the very least active for 5 to 7 years.  Some think one covers an animal for life.  So if you're dog bites someone and you ever had a rabies shot, make sure you have that paperwork on you.  I vaccinate mine every 3 years so I won't have to run into the issue, should the unfortunate ever happen.

 

[crofter]

I have also run into a brick wall when trying to keep contact information current with 24petwatch. They think they will sell you another chip if they make it too difficult to update the old chip. Whenever my dog is "lost" I just start the truck and he appears, ready to go. 
As for camping, I have been asked to keep him tied when in camp at state parks. I didn't notice when I arrived that there is on leash policy, as there were dogs everywhere. So now I know. 
- Crofter

 

[DuneElliot]

Some great advice.

I would add one thing though. There is a difference in letting your dogs "run wild" off-leash and off-leash trained dogs that are under constant voice command. I have an issue with the former. If your dog isn't trained well enough to the point of immediate recall and staying within your direct eye-sight they should be on a leash. There are too many of these dogs on public trails. However, if your dog is properly trained and responds to instant commands and/or never leaves your side off-leash they are under as much control as a leashed dog.

I have come across plenty of both and definitely get frustrated when I pull off the trail put my two in a down-stay position only to have some random dog come bounding up to them and harassing them.

 

[TrainChaser]

ERLH:  "I don't think the word 'usually' is accurate here.  I'd say usually they're confined for 10 days to see if they exhibit any signs of the disease.  These guidelines will vary widely between jurisdictions."

The 10-day quarantine tends to only apply to pets that are currently vaccinated (w/proof), or have had a rabies vaccination in the past (w/proof).  Some areas within a state are "designated rabies areas".  In California, that includes the entire state.  In some places, pets can be destroyed at the descretion of Health Dept. officials, and all the whining and crying isn't going to change that.

If the animal has never been vaccinated, or the owner has no proof, and the animal is not currently showing signs of rabies, there is usually a 120-day quarantine in many/most locations.  Most places that have this law will have the dog quarantined at a facility that understands the dangers, and has reliable security.  The owner of the pet will be paying for the quarantine, which can cost from $10 to $50/day, depending on the dog's size.  That's $1,200 to $6,000 for 120 days.  Some owners can't or won't pay that, and will choose to have the dog euthanized for testing.

Quarantine laws can vary, but the owner is not usually allowed to quarantine the dog at home without a secure kennel (all six sides), double gates, and knowledge of what they're doing.  The average American pet owner is not reliable, and if you're living in your van, you would absolutely NOT be allowed to do the quarantine yourself.

Only five people have survived rabies, ever.  It is a deadly disease, and a horrible way to die. 

It is cheaper to just get your pets vaccinated and keep the certificate in a safe place.

 

[slynne]

I won't lie, I miss the days when everyone's dogs ran free.  Growing up my dog and all the neighborhood dogs were free to roam.  He followed me to the bus stop every morning then was free to do as he pleased and no lie was waiting for me 7 hours later when I got off the bus, multiple dogs in the neighborhood waited for their people to get off the bus.

Everyone in the neighborhood knew everyone elses dog and because of that we all knew our neighbors.  Now I feel like knowing anyone besides who lives immediately next door is unheard of.

My parents live in a semi-rural neighborhood that is still like that and it is WONDERFUL. All the dogs (but one, because he sometimes gets aggressive with the other dogs) are allowed to roam. Not necessarily all day while their people are at work but in the evenings and on weekends. You can be sitting on your deck and all of a sudden it's a dog party!

 

[Gunny]

The last thread like this got me in a bit of trouble with the powers that be. I will tread cautiously.

If my animal ( a cat) is in her tent and a loose, uncontrolled dog approaches in a threatening manner, not just tail wagging and sniffing the landscape, I will eliminate the threat to my cat. No Bear spray, no rocks but a simple and painless end to the threat.

Keep your dogs on a leash.

Rob

 

[XFILE36]

If you wanted to be able to track your pet, you would need to have a GPS Pet Tracker on the pet's collar.  The GPS Pet Tracker consists of a GMS module, GPS-antenna, LED and a battery.  They are about 2x2x.5" in size. Their battery life runs between 2 and 5 hours.  To find the pet, you would have to be within cell tower range, same as for a phone.  If YOU wanted to be tracked, you would have to be wearing the same type of unit.

Here is more info on the pet trackers, which run between $100 and $200:  https://www.thepawtracker.com/blogs...dog-and-cat-cell-phones-best-of-2016-reviewed

Thanks.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

The last thread like this got me in a bit of trouble with the powers that be. I will tread cautiously.

If my animal ( a cat) is in her tent and a loose, uncontrolled dog approaches in a threatening manner, not just tail wagging and sniffing the landscape, I will eliminate the threat to my cat. No Bear spray, no rocks but a simple and painless end to the threat.

Keep your dogs on a leash.

Rob

I think you are with in your rights to do so.    

I miss the cat I had growing up, I've never seen a cat since that could make a dog turn tail and run as fast as it could and my cat would chase it continuing to unleash blows with his claws in the process.  This was back when all the neighborhood dogs could roam free.  Never any dogs in our yard, except for the occasional new dog in town and they only made that mistake once.

 

[Gunny]

My comment sounds harsh, I know this. I am writing about animals in a campground or such as RTR. I love all animals and harming one is against my nature. In the thread I got in trouble with a member was writing (in my thread I might add) about her "predatory" dog. My response was not pleasant. I got in trouble.

In my usually wrong opinion dogs need a space to run and be a dog. One of the funniest articles I've read was about a young girl graduating with her service dog also in the yearbook. The dog was initially being trained as a guide dog for the blind but "flunked out due to a cat distraction" issue.

Here in my apartment complex pets are allowed with a large deposit. Some residents seem to think it's okay to just let the animal run free. One tried to bite me while on my scooter. I started carrying a collapsible baton. The second time I was attacked the animal paid for it's owners stupidity. I still feel bad about the animals death, it should have been the owners head that got thumped.

Rob