Simple Rules to know when camping with pets
Most parks will have some type of pet regulations in effect to ensure the campsite and region, fellow campers and your pet are happy and safe. Most people only bring either dogs or cats, some bring birds and some may even have an iguana or 2 but for now I will concentrate on the cats and dogs. Your pet must be on a leash at all times. Your cat or dog may not react the same in a camping environment as they would in your dwelling. Just for example, I had taken my cat camping and had her on a leash beside the tent. The neighbor had a large poodle that was running loose in their campsite. I had reminded them that dogs must be leashed at all times and of course their answer was my dog is not a danger to anyone or anything. Maybe 5 minutes after the poodle saw my cat and the pursuit was on.
Somehow the cat was able to escape the leash and the dog had been in hot pursuit. All you could see was 2 black stripes running flat out through the trees. Finally the cat saw an open tent door and ran to it. The owner saw the dog chasing it and thankfully got the tent door shut before the dog got there. Needless to say they kept the dog on a leash then. Dogs in particular are quite nosy and like to investigate anything that is new. Sometimes that new something is a porcupine, a raccoon or a rattlesnake that is just another great reason to keep your dog tents on a leash. It is also extremely important to get a first aid kit available just in case. The park attendants will know where to get a vet if you need one. A great deal of parks that have a beach might also have a pet exercise area with water access. Pets and people sometimes do not make friends very well, especially when you’ve got a pet that is quite protective of the family unit.
All those people today make them very nervous and apt to strike out at anything or anyone that is passing by. There’s also the fact that some individuals are allergic to pets. Some dogs become very vocal when their owners are not around or if they see something they ought to be letting everyone in sight know about. This is called excessive noise and can be quite disturbing to fellow campers. Listening to your dog cry for hours because their owner has left them on the campsite is not a pleasant experience for anyone, including the dog. If you must leave your pet behind in the campsite, Ensure they have colour, food and water available and just leave them for a short time. If you are going someplace that you cannot take your pet to get a Longer period, some parks have pet-sitters nearby you could leave them with. It is best to check with the park before you go if you know you are going to be away for a protracted period.
