Car Safety: Pet Travel Resources
“This person feeds me, pets me, and plays with me. She must be a god”! – Dog
“This person feeds me, pets me, and plays with me. I must be a god”! – Cat
While dogs and cats and other pets are generally known to have very different and distinct personalities, what they have in common is their positive physical and emotional effects on humans. The unconditional love, companionship, and support pets can offer is invaluable. They can truly create health benefits for those who spend time with them, especially those who live alone.
Researchers at Miami University in Ohio found that pet owners are more confident and have fewer self-esteem issues. They are in better physical condition and more outgoing than non-owners. Other studies found that people who have pets are far less likely than their animal-less counterparts to suffer from illnesses like depression. Pet owners often have lower blood pressure, even in times of stress, than people who don’t have pets. Play time with a pet can prompt an uptick in levels of serotonin and dopamine, which creates a feeling of calmness and relaxation. What’s more, those who have animals at home frequently present lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood (heart disease markers) than people without pets. In the aftermath of a heart attack, the survival rate is much higher for patients with pets.
In studies that compared owners and non-owners, owners were happier, well-adjusted, and healthier at home than non-owners. Pets can ease loneliness, reduce stress, encourage social interaction, exercise, and play. University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine found that adults with Alzheimer’s have less stress and anxiety when there is a pet at home.
Children who grow up among animals have fewer allergies and occurrences of asthma. Having a pet also teaches responsibility and compassion. Their presence can help provide a sense of security for children, especially when parents are not at home. Studies even show that pets can help to calm hyperactivity or aggressiveness in children.
University of Hertfordshire’s Prof. Richard Wiseman has written a number of books on not-so-common subjects. He also surveyed about 2500 people about their own personalities and those of their pets. His survey found that many pet owners said they and their animals shared some of the same characteristics. Owners who are happy, intelligent, and independent with a sense of humor say that their animals present similar behaviors. Wiseman also found that the longer an animal is with a certain owner, the more likely that animal will develop some of its owner’s habits.
And the pet owners concurred. Those that were anxious said their dog seemed so, too. Owners that were laid back said their dogs were pretty easy-going, as well.
Do people choose pets that resemble them? Judging from the results of many experiments, that answer seems to be yes, although researchers weren’t always certain which came first – did the resemblance develop along with the dog-owner relationship, or did the owners choose the animals at the outset? Researchers have found that individuals with a happy outlook, for example, more often chose a dog that was friendly-looking with a similar disposition.
Thus, are pets a lot more like their owners than originally thought? It seems that way. So, the next time a vacation or a trip is planned, Fido may prefer to be “on the road again” along with you. Traveling with a pet needs to be well-planned, however, and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Here are a number of links to resources that pet owners may find helpful when planning a vacation that includes even the four-legged family members.
Pet Friendly Hotels
UK Hotels/Cottages that are Pet-friendly
Howard Johnson “Wags to Whiskers” locations
Find Roadside Pet-Friendly Hotels
Pet Travel By Air
Southwest Airlines
What You’ll Need to Do Before Flying with Your Pet
Pet Travel On Ground
Pet Travel Seats, etc.
Keeping Animals Calm on Car Trips
Pet Insurance
An Alternative To Costly Treatments
Animal Insurance Misconception
Taking a Good Look at Pet Insurance
Additional Resources
TSA Recommendations
FAA FAQs: Pets on Planes (Their pet; Your allergies)
Average pet-ticket costs and casualty statistics
Outcome of Pet Insurance Summit
This free resource created by Cheap Car Insurance meant to educate pet owners about traveling with their pets. Sharing is permissible. Please contact us if you have any questions. Get a car insurance quote in your area.
