Walk & Travel

A bungee-style car seat belt restraint, or a properly secured carrier or crate, gives a dog some protection in the event of sudden braking, which a dog loose in the car or boot simply does not have. This matters both for your dog's safety and to avoid a loose dog distracting the driver.

A waterproof back-seat hammock cover protects the upholstery from mud, fur and claws, and makes a real difference on longer journeys with a dog who is not used to travelling cleanly.

Beyond the lead and collar covered elsewhere, this aisle includes the smaller things that make a walk easier: a collapsible travel bowl for water on a warm day, and reflective or high-visibility accessories for dogs walked early or late when light is poor.

A cat collar, such as a reflective design, is worth considering even for a cat that mostly stays close to home, since visibility matters just as much for cats as for dogs if they are out after dark.

For anything beyond a short local trip, plan for water, regular breaks, and somewhere secure for your pet to travel, whether that is a harness attached to a seatbelt clip or a properly fitted crate. A dog unused to car travel benefits from a few short practice trips before a longer journey, rather than their first experience being several hours long.

If you are travelling abroad with a pet, GOV.UK sets out the specific rules and documentation required, which are worth checking well in advance rather than close to the travel date.

A dog or cat that finds car travel stressful often improves with short, calm, positive trips that do not always end at the vet, so the car itself stops being associated with something unpleasant. Familiar bedding or a covered carrier can also help a nervous cat feel more settled.

Patience over several short sessions tends to work far better than expecting a nervous traveller to cope with a long journey straight away.