My partner and I are both educators, and July offers us a wonderful respite, a chance to change the scenery and spend more time outdoors asking questions than answering them. Because we’re away for weeks at a time, we bring our dog.
He travels moderately well. He’ll stretch out in the back seat and endure long stretches on the road without complaint. He maintains a reliable bathroom schedule. If our trips consisted solely of driving, he’d be a dream. But they do not.
We stay in hotels. And our dog, Ethan, is not okay with the sounds that other people make while we’re trying to sleep. (To anyone who’s shared a wall with us, I’m sorry. Truly.)
We’ve tried sedatives, requested top-floor rooms, corner units, weekdays only. We walk him so he can take in the smells of the area and tire his body. We’ve streamed ambient rainforest soundscapes. We’ve applied peanut butter to Kongs with the hope of manufacturing calm.
Some of it helps. Mostly, it takes repetition. With each summer trip, Ethan has grown more tolerant of the subtly startling noises of hotel life. It wasn’t a training breakthrough so much as a gradual shift: a few nights each summer in a strange place, year after year. He learned. We all did.
This was his journey. Every animal travels differently. Some adapt; some work through the stress to be with their people; some clearly prefer to opt out entirely. Ethan would rather be with us (well, with me) than comfortable at home. So we take him, and we muddle through the elevator lobbies and ice machines together.
Our rabbit, Comet, is another matter.
He has a strong independent streak and prefers his cardboard castle and litter box to the novelty of a vacation home. A short car ride to the vet stresses him out. He’s not interested in taking the scenic route.
Comet stays home.
We leave him with someone who finds him adorable, takes his vegan diet seriously, and understands that the quickest way to his trust is a thin slice of banana and a few slow head pets. We miss him. But our guilt takes a backseat to his comfort.
So how do you decide whether to bring your animal or leave them home?
Start with temperament.
Some dogs crave proximity, even if it means sleeping in a new room with strange footsteps in the hall. Others, cats especially, prefer the familiar spaces of home. Rabbits, birds, reptiles, and fish have even less tolerance for disruption.
If your pet stays home, don’t leave them alone.
Dogs, cats, and rabbits may tolerate different amounts of alone time, but none are truly independent. Dogs need interaction every four hours; cats can cope for a day, not two. Make sure to consider your pet’s emotional and physical needs, not just their food and water.
Identify a caretaker.
Choose someone with experience caring for your species of pet. A sitter familiar with dogs may not understand a rabbit’s delicate digestion or a cat’s subtle signs of stress. Ask for references.
Hire slowly.
Introduce new caregivers gradually. A trial visit while you’re still in town allows your pet to get familiar and gives you a chance to assess the fit.
Stick to the routine.
Ask the sitter to maintain feeding times, walks, litter scooping, and bedtime rituals. Predictability lowers anxiety and helps pets feel secure.
Give your pet some agency.
If the sitter is staying in your home, make sure your pet has access to familiar hiding spots or quiet zones. If your pet is going to the sitter’s home, bring a favorite blanket, toy, or treat.
If your pet comes with you:
Prepare the new space.
Upon arrival, give your pet a quiet room to adjust before introducing them to the rest of the house. Use treats, praise, toys so the new space begins to feel safe.
Bring the comforts of home.
Pack familiar food, bowls, beds, toys, and medication. Avoid new foods or routines during the trip.
Stick to a schedule.
Even in a new environment, keeping your pet’s routine steady helps regulate their stress response.
Exercise and enrichment.
A tired animal is a calmer one. Physical and mental stimulation (like puzzle feeders or scent walks) can make a big difference in how they handle travel-related stress.
Ultimately, the question isn’t, Will they miss us? (They might.) The better question is, Where will they be most at ease?
There’s no one right choice. Some animals travel well, others prefer to stay put. The goal is the same either way: to keep them safe, relatively calm, and connected to the people who love them.
Sarah Krummel is a Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation board member and a Program Specialist for Santa Cruz City Schools. Connect with her at [email protected]
