Travelling safely with pets: advice and tips

Pets being left in hot cars throughout the summer months is an issue that hits news headlines every year. 

Here, we'll discuss how to drive safely with pets in the car while following the Highway Code. 

The dangers of leaving your pet in a hot car 

Keeping your pets safe in high temperatures can be a concern at any time, but especially in the car. Dogs, cats, and other pets who are left in cars without enough ventilation or water can suffer from dehydration, heatstroke and even death. 

It was reported by The Kennel Club that one in seven dogs who are taken to the vet for heatstroke end up dying, so this is a serious issue for our fluffy friends.  

It isn't illegal to leave your pet in a hot car in the UK. But under the 2006 Animal Welfare Act, an owner may be charged with an animal cruelty offence if their pet dies in a hot car while in their care. 

You can follow a few simple tips to make sure your pet is both safe and happy in the car on hot days. 

Travelling with your dog or cat in summer 

To keep your pet safe in the car on hot and humid days, you should: 

• keep one or more windows slightly open to improve ventilation
• use the air conditioning instead of or alongside slightly open windows
• take regular breaks so your pet can get some fresh air and stretch their legs
• give them food and water where possible
• give them any comforting additions, like their favourite toys or blankets
• pack some emergency supplies (extra food and water, a cooler, medication, etc.)
• always make sure they're safely and comfortably restrained in the car, whether that's a spacious cage or seatbelt harness
• consider the difficulty of getting larger breeds back to your home or car in warmer temperatures.

Research conducted by the University of Leicester, in partnership with Admiral Insurance, found that the surface temperature of tarmac is much higher than the air temperature reaching 50°C - more than double the air temperature. 

PawSquad also reported high numbers of queries during summer months for blisters, difficulty walking and extreme panting. 

Additional tips for preventing overheating in pets 

There are additional preventive measures that can be taken by pet owners to keep their pets safe. Below Nicki Fox RVN CertVNECC, Admiral’s Veterinary Specialist, shares her top tips for this summer: 

• Familiarise yourself with the signs of heatstroke, such as heavy panting and difficulty breathing, drooling, lethargy, vomiting and collapse. We’ll discuss heatstroke in more detail a little later.  
• Plan ahead with your walk - don't venture too far from home, and ensure you walk in the shade and on grass where possible and stay within easy reach of water. 
• Avoid walking during the hottest parts of the day - try to go out before 8am and after 8pm during particularly hot spells of weather. 
• Take it easy – According to research by The Kennel Club, over-exercising or exercising your dog on hot days accounts for around 75% of cases heatstroke. Other common causes include not being able to cope in hot weather (around 13% of cases), being in a hot vehicle (around 5%) and being in a hot building (around 3%). 
• Take water with you – for you and your pet! 
• Have your phone on you - (fully charged) in case of emergencies. 
• Consider attaching a lead to a harness rather than to their collar - leads that pull on a collar can press on their airways and stop them from cooling down as effectively. 

Remember: Dogs don't sweat like people do - they have small sweat glands on the pads of their paws, but this doesn't make a great deal of difference when they try to cool down. You may notice them panting. This is another dog cooling technique that can work but is not hugely effective. Dogs are not efficient creatures when it comes to cooling down. 

All dogs are different, so a dog’s reaction to heat is largely variable by things like age, breed and existing health conditions. It’s best to constantly monitor, risk assess and if in doubt, slow down, go home. 

The bigger the dog could mean the bigger the risk - Veterinary surgeon Dr Mark Boddy, CEO of PawSquad, adds that the risk of overheating is much higher for larger breeds. You may need to consider the difficulty of getting larger breeds back to your home or car in warmer temperatures. PawSquad advises large dog owners to use caution once it hits 21°C, with this warning for medium and small dog breeds being advised at 23°C. 

Following the Highway Code 

There's a Highway Code rule on pet car safety that applies regardless of the weather conditions. Rule 57 of the Highway Code states: 

"When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars." 

Even if your pet is timid or small, you still need to keep them restrained in some way to prevent them distracting you while you're driving. 

Does driving with a pet affect your insurance claims? 

You may be wondering here if driving with your pet in the car affects your car or pet insurance. 

If you get into a road accident while driving with your pet in the car, your Admiral car insurance claim may be affected based on whether you were following the law. If your pet wasn't restrained and was distracting you at the time of the crash, this could affect your claim. 

Your Admiral car insurance policy won't cover any injuries your pet may have suffered in a car accident. For that, you'll need pet insurance. 

Admiral offers pet insurance for dogs and cats only. We also offer MultiPet insurance if you have more than one pet who needs to be insured. 

What to do if you see a pet locked in a hot car 

If the pet seems like they're okay, take these steps: 

1. Write down the make, model and license plate number of the car.
2. Consider ringing the hotline of your local pet charity.
3. Stay with the pet until the owner returns.
4. If you're in a hotel, restaurant or shopping centre car park, you could talk to a staff member to see if the owner can be notified of the situation.
5. If you're suspicious of the owner and think the pet is still in danger, call the police via your local department's non-emergency line. 

If you see a pet that looks distressed, take these steps: 

1. Call 999 if the pet is unconscious, breathing or panting heavily, vomiting, or lethargic, as these are all signs of heatstroke.
2. Wait for the police to arrive to safely enter the vehicle and recover the pet.
3. If you feel you need to break into the car to free the pet, remember that you could be criminally charged for damaging someone else's vehicle.
4. Let the police know before breaking into the car if you've deemed this necessary.
5. Get the contact details of any witnesses who can vouch for your reason for breaking into the vehicle. 

Signs of heatstroke 

To keep an eye out for heatstroke in cats and dogs, consider following Admiral’s HOTDOG acronym: 

• Heavy panting and / or breathing distress  
• Only urinating in small amounts  
• Tremors, seizures or collapse  
• Drooling, dizziness or diarrhoea  
• Overtiredness and / or agitation  
• Gums that are red or very pale