09 Nov Road Safety Week
Safety First.
This year, Road Safety Week runs from 17th – 23rd of November and serves as a great reminder, not only to be safe and responsible drivers ourselves, but also to make sure that we do all we can to keep our pets safe when walking close to roads!
The volume of cars on the roads increases year on year, and the rise in the number of electric vehicles means they’re getting harder and harder to hear coming!
It’s important to keep your pets safe when walking near roads so we’ve put together a few ideas of steps you can take to keep your K9 or feline friends safe.
One of the most important tips is to make sure your pet is identifiable. If a dog or cat has a collar with a tag and the owners contact details on, or if they are microchipped, they can be easily identified and returned to their owners should they be found wandering the roads and streets.
Road Safety Tips for Dogs
Keep them close and on a lead
This is the most obvious and most simple tip we have for you. If your dog is on a lead, they’re unlikely to be able to get onto a road and in the way of harm, simples! Make sure that if you use an extender lead, that you keep it nice and short near roads so you can be in control of your dog and where they are walking.
Make sure they can be seen
You can get just about everything for dogs nowadays, and that includes high visibility coats and collars. You can even purchase reflective leads or light up collars for those dark evening strolls. They serve as an excellent way to keep your dog seen by drivers and might just save their life.
Train them to be aware
Your dog won’t automatically know to stop when waiting to cross a road. Teach them to sit and wait with you on the pavement until it’s safe for you both to cross. ‘Sit,’ ‘wait,’ and ‘go’ are all fairly simple commands to teach your pooch, so give it a go and use the words regularly at home and when out walking so they pick it up quickly.
Road Safety Tips for Cats
Keep them indoors
The most obvious, yet understandably the most unlikely option to keep your cat away from roads, is to keep them indoors. Cats are natural roamers and most love to be outside exploring. Keeping them in will of course help prevent injury or death on the roads, however it’s down to the owner to do what they think is best for their cat.
Create a safe outdoor space
Why not create a safe and fun place for them to play and explore in your garden, should you have one? A ‘catio,’ if you will! This way they will have the freedom to roam and investigate their surroundings in the fresh air without being able to get too far out into the big, wide world.
Have your cat neutered
A neutered cat is less likely to venture far away from home and out on the roads. When they aren’t out and looking for a mate, cats often prefer to stay close to home and out of harms (and vehicles) way.
But most importantly…
Make sure you have pet insurance! If the worst does happen, and your pet is injured by a vehicle, vets bills can rise sharply as you and your vet do all they can to save your fur baby.
Having 4Paws Pet Insurance gives you peace of mind that we’ll be there for you every step of the way and you’ll be protected from costly vet’s bills.
We offer a variety of cover options to suit all budgets and our friendly team of pet specialists are on hand to take your call and answer any questions you might have about our Pet Insurance products. Give them a call today on 01423 535 040 or click here to get a quote.
For those of you considering taking on a new pet, whether it be a cat, rabbit or dog, here’s our quick checklist of ways to ensure you’re being a responsible pet owner.
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4Paws Pet Insurance
Don’t forget to share any of your pet pics and handy hints with us on our Instagram, Facebook or Twitter!
