It goes without saying that our pets are our heart -- they love us unconditionally, they greet us like a fan club every time we come home, they comfort us at the end of a difficult day, they love and sustain us as much or more than our spouses, parents and children. But, what happens when we want to travel, or need to travel?

Yes, there are options such as putting them in a kennel or hiring someone to stay in our homes to house and pet sit, or hiring someone to look in on them on a daily basis, to feed them and give them some attention and walk our dogs. Yet, for a number of reasons, we may want or need to take our cats and dogs with us when we travel. We may simply want to have them with us. We may not trust caretakers to feed and water and love them the way we do. We may be on extended road trips or RV trips where it doesn't make economic or emotional sense to leave them at home for a week or more.

In situations when we want or need to travel with our cats and dogs, how do we keep them safe and happy on our travels?

1. Must, must, must! Get them "smart chipped" before you leave and make sure the service you're using for the "smart chip" ALWAYS has your current contact information. The "smart chips" are as small as a grain of rice and it doesn't hurt your pet to get them implanted on their necks at any veterinarian or county animal control office for as little as $25. The "smart chips" will get your precious pet reunited with you if they wander off or otherwise get lost on your travels. The "smart chips" typically have your name, address and phone number through a service that you MUST keep updated. When your cat or dog is found by a sympathetic person, that person can take your pet to any vet and to any local animal shelter. The receptionist will pass a scanner around your pet's neck and the location service 800 number will appear. One call and -- if you kept your phone number and adddress updated with the service -- you're reunited with your cat or dog. Thank Heavens!

2. Must, must, Must! Before you leave home (and always!) make sure that your cat or dog has a collar with a tag that lists your current phone number. A lot of people will assume that a cat or dog without a collar or without a tag is a stray or abandoned animal and they won't take your precious to a vet or animal control facility to have them scanned for a "smart chip." Don't let this happen to your pet. Go to a PetSmart or PetCo or anywhere that has a tag maker machine and get every pet a new tag every time you change your phone number, and especially before you travel. Your pet may not know how to get home if you're two states away -- make it as easy as one phone call to get your pet back in your arms.

3. Get your dog AND your cat accustomed to travel. For a cat, I recommend a soft-side cat carrier, now available almost anywhere. It gives them a cave, a nest, a place where they feel safe. Many dogs love to "go with" in a car or truck. Cat or dog, let them get accustomed to traveling with you in your car locally, on short errands, before you set out on a trip. You want them to feel safe and secure, not howling or mee-owling in terror.

4. Know Before You Go: confirm that the motel or hotel or campground you're heading to is pet friendly. Know the rules and abide by them. If the site disallows leaving your pet in your tent or motel or hotel room without you, don't try to bypass the rules -- take your pets with you or take turns with your spouse or friend staying with your pet.

In conclusion, keep your beloved cat or dog (or both) safe and happy on your travels by 1) "smart chipping" them, 2) ensuring they have a collar tag with current info, 3) getting them comfortable with travel before you go, and 4) doing your due diligence on the pet rules and regulations on where you'll be staying. Always be thinking, "Is this a fun trip for Prince and Princess as well as me and my family?"

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