I confess: I will do nearly anything to travel with my pets. I love it, but the reality is that it doesn’t always work out. The first local road trip my family took to Julian, for example, wasn’t all apples, fun, and fall frolicking. Rather, it was a crowded Memorial Day weekend with no parking, long lines, and two dogs that would have been happier at home.
The fun of being a pet family means that you forget failure and focus on planning future outings. This issue of San Diego Pets Magazine features tons of pet-friendly vacation ideas and tips to keep your pets healthy and safe on the go. Because for every unsuccessful Sunday drive to Julian, there are 10 happy road trips worth remembering. On our cross-country drive from Washington, D.C. to San Diego, we made it 10 minutes before I panicked about forgetting my dogs’ medicine. My partner, Randy, reminded me that as a vet I can call in a prescription; I could solve my own problem, but in that moment I wasn’t a vet, I was simply a worried pet parent, wanting to ensure my animals were healthy on our journey. And of course they were: Jake and Betty love the thrill of the open road, eating at roadside restaurants, visiting spectacular attractions, and staying at hotels that sometimes treat animals better than they do humans.
Speaking of hotels, there are so many excellent pet-friendly hotels here in San Diego—one favorite is Hotel Indigo and their monthly canine cocktail hour—sometimes the best vacation is a staycation. No matter where you decide to travel, whether it’s across the country or simply across town—there are ways for your four-legged family to enjoy the ride.
Gary Weitzman, DVM, MPH, CAWA
President and CEO
San Diego Humane Society