Get comfortable. Be sure your pet travels well. Some get car sick; others have health or anxiety issues that make travel miserable for everyone. Consider taking a day or weekend trip as a test. If using a crate, be sure your pet is accustomed to it and has room to stand and turn around comfortably.

Make a list. Be sure you have proper identification for your pet, with a current tag or microchip (keep those ID numbers with you). Add a collar tag with the number of your cell phone or vacation lodging. Take along a health certificate (issued within 10 days) and proof of current vaccinations in case you need to use a kennel unexpectedly.

Just like children, pets need familiar foods and toys. Add dishes, bedding, medications, leashes, a crate if needed, and supplies for cleaning up after your pet. Consider an extra collar, old sheets to cover furniture, tweezers, and a flashlight for nighttime walks. Monitor your pet’s health for travel-related changes in appetite, energy or disposition. Pack a first aid kit with bandages, medications your vet recommends, and 24-hour poison control and veterinary phone numbers.

Travel right. If traveling by air, check with the airline well ahead of time for specific requirements. In summer, early or late flights are coolest in the cargo area where your pet will travel. Choose non-stop flights. Ask your vet for feeding recommendations.

For car travel, try to stick to a regular feeding schedule. Carry jugs of water and stop every two to three hours for exercise. It looks like fun, but don’t let your pet ride with his head outside the car window. Never, ever leave your pet in a hot (or cold) car. If you must leave the animal for a very short period, park in shade, lock the doors, open windows enough for ventilation but not enough for him to get his head out. But remember that shade moves, and car temperatures can climb to 120 degrees in minutes.

Check ahead for appropriate hotels, campgrounds, pet parks and day care options and find out the regulations before you go.

Camp right. If camping, keep your pet on a leash and within eyesight. Be careful of skunks, possums, snakes and other wildlife that can bite or injure your pet. Ask your vet about heartworm, flea and tick prevention.

Take precautions. Some dangers are peculiar to pets. Paws can get caught on an escalator. Un-prescribed sedatives or tranquilizers can affect a pet’s balance and contribute to injury. Being alone in a hotel room can be scary for a pet; let the desk know, and put a “Do not disturb” sign on the door. Finally, pets left unattended in a car are in extreme danger of both heat stroke and theft. Pet thieves often target rest areas.

Enjoy your vacation. A bit of extra planning can make travel easier and more fun for the whole family.