Traveling with a pet to a campsite or national park is made much easier when touring in a recreational vehicle. RVs typically have plenty of room for pets, and amenities, such as access to fresh water, not normally found when hiking to a campsite in the hills.

A pet owner, however, shouldn’t leave pet safety measures behind at home when hitting the road in an RV with a pet. In fact, the safety guidelines that car owners practice when traveling with a pet should likewise apply to RV users.

Before arriving at an RV campsite, drivers should have the following pet traveling tips in mind:

• Make sure an RV park or campground permits pets on the premises. Check ahead for a park’s pet rules. Also, some RV locations may have size restrictions or limit the number of pets allowed by individuals.

• Never leave a pet locked inside an RV without the air running or proper ventilation.

• Provide a pet with plenty of water and air circulation if it must be left alone for short periods.

• Don’t tie a pet to an RV with a metal chain. A power surge or improperly grounded facilities can travel along the chain and injure or kill the pet.

• Check the type of metal steps on the RV. Some RV steps have little holes in them and may pose a hazard to pets. An unattended dog may get its claws stuck in the holes and injure itself while trying to get out.