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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2012-04-19, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012. PAGE 19. JenkinsL.H. Limited TOWING, AUTO RECYLING & REPAIR “Friendly Service & Reasonable Prices” 519-524-2181 Towing 519-524-2182 24 HOUR • Damage Free Towing • Flat Bed Towing • Local & Long Distance LARGE SELECTION OF NEW & USED PARTS FOR ALL MAKES & MODELS “Fuel tanks our specialty” CANADIAN TIRE AUTO CLUB National Auto League Acclimate, identify and secure pets for long trips NC –To those who feel a vacation isn’t complete unless the family pet comes along, you're not alone. Car trips are common forms of travel with a companion animal in tow. While many pets are easygoing, there are some who are unaccustomed to travelling with their owners and may even balk at riding along. Acclimating and protecting your pet for travel will require a little patience and some pointers. • Secure the pet: Just as you would buckle up when entering the car, so should you buckle up a pet. It is important to ensure the animal is not a moving target around the car should an accident occur. Not only could you risk injury to the pet, but you also risk injury to yourself if the animal becomes a projectile. Even if an accident does not occur, a jittery pet, or one who is content to jump from back seat into the front, could prove a distraction while driving. He or she could also bump into the gear shift or get stuck under the gas or brake pedal. It is much better to keep the pet secured. Pets may travel in a well- ventilated carrier. Larger dogs may need to be belted into the car with a special dog harness. There are also barrier screens and gates that can be installed, typically in SUVs, to restrict the pet. • Acclimation: Some pets just do not enjoy being placed in a carrier or riding in a car. They may need some coaxing and practice to become comfortable if a trip is planned. One suggestion is getting the pet used to a longer trip by taking a series of short trips first over the course of a few days or weeks. With each trip, gradually increase time spent in the car. It may help to bring along a pet toy or blanket that is soothing to the animal, so he or she associates the car with a safe place, just like home. Even after several attempts to acclimate your pet to the idea of a car trip, the animal may still not be happy about the idea. Talk to a veterinarian about other strategies or whether a mild sedative could make the travel easier. • Safety tips: Although many pet owners are aware of certain dos and don'ts when it comes to travelling with a pet, many still engage in behavior that could be dangerous to the animal. One of the common offenses is letting the pet ride with his or her head outside of the window. While this may seem like heaven to the dog or cat, this puts the pet at risk of being injured by flying objects, including debris in the eyes. It can also increase the risk of the animal falling out of the moving vehicle. Another mistake many people make is leaving the pet inside of a car – even for a short duration of time. Even with the windows open, a parked car can rapidly heat up and heatstroke can occur. A similar thing takes place in the winter with the car getting much too cold. If you anticipate having to make stops, be sure to go where you can take the pet out and along with you. • Comfort and care:An animal out of his or her environment or element could become skittish. Try to keep a pet’s feeding schedule as close to normal as possible. This will minimize the chances of discomfort or even digestive aggravation. Bring along bottled water or tap water from home because drinking water from an unfamiliar area could result in unwanted digestive distress, which could prove uncomfortable for pet and owner alike. As an added precaution, you may want to invest in rubberized floor liners and waterproof seat covers. This helps if the animal gets carsick or has an accident. Removable seat covers can also prove advantageous for collecting fur and keeping the interior of the car less messy than need be. • Identification:It is important to always carry proper identification for your pet, as well as documentation of vaccinations. For those who have not yet microchipped their companion animal, now may be the time to do so. The microchip is a very small device implanted under the skin of the pet, usually by the scruff of the neck. It will transmit contact information when a specialized transmitter is waved over the microchip. There’s also the old-fashioned method of having your dog or cat collared with an ID tag. Using this in conjunction with a leash and harness will help reduce the chances of losing your pet while on the road. J.L. McCUTCHEON MOTORS LTD. Brussels 519-887-6856 or 1-888-351-9193 www.mccutcheonmotors.ca Includes... ❀ Brake Check ❀ Tire Check ❀ Exhaust Check ❀ Steering Check ❀ Suspension Check ❀ Road Test Check ❀ Air Filter Check ❀ Fuel Filter Check ❀ Air Conditioner Check ❀ Coolant Check Spring Check List $2495 R & S ALIGNMENT SERVICE ALIGNMENT - SUSPENSION SERVICE & TIRES 519-357-1230 Hwy. 86 West, R.R. 3 Wingham, Ont. N0G 2W0 Tire blowouts often caused by under-inflation of all tires MS –Accidents that occur on the roadways are unpredictable and can be caused by just about anything. Impaired or distracted motorists might heighten the risk of an accident, but even things like a squirrel running across the street and scaring a driver can lead to an accident. Tire blowout is another potential cause of accident, and such blowouts might be more common than motorists expect. Tire blowout can put motorists in a precarious position, especially if they don’t know what to do should one of their tires blow out. Surviving tire blowout can be done by adhering to the following tips. • Don’t respond by hitting the brakes. It might be counterintuitive to squeeze the gas pedal when a tire blows out, but doing so puts drivers in control of the vehicle and keeps it going in the intended direction. Immediately slamming on the brakes will cause the vehicle to turn, possibly turning the vehicle into oncoming traffic, a guardrail or other cars travelling in the same direction. When squeezing the gas pedal, drive straight down the lane. Within seconds of pressing the gas pedal, slowly begin to release it. • Coast to a slower speed. As the accelerator is released, allow the vehicle to coast to a slow speed, but not a speed so slow as to put driver and passengers at risk. Once the car is coasting, use the turn signal and slowly turn toward the side of the road where the tire is blown. For example, if the front right tire is blown, turn toward the right shoulder. You want to turn toward this side because it’s always safest to limit your own exposure to oncoming motorists when changing the tire. • Check tire pressure when you can pull into a parking lot. When you have safely made it to the shoulder and the tire has been changed successfully, find a filling station or other parking lot and check the tire pressure on the tires that did not blowout. A blowout is often the result of an underinflated tire, so if one tire blows out due to underinflation it’s quite possible the others might as well. &CUSTOMIZING 519-523-9726 email: countryside@tcc.on.ca 82589 London Rd. South of Blyth • Insurance claims • Collision repairs • Refinishing • Restoration • Spray in truck box liners • Oil spray undercoating Don’t want to make an insurance claim for that fender bender? See Raymond for an economical repair and a free estimate! Lifetime Protection and a Great Look • Semi-skid resistant surface keeps cargo secure and allows for easy loading and unloading. • Great insulator and soundproofing qualities • Resistant to common chemicals including chlorine, automotive fuels, diesel fuels, paints, salt water and much more! • Permanent bonding seal against water, rust and corrosion. Thinking of a Bedliner? Think XTREME LINERS NEW Truck accessories now available Get information on Huron County attractions on the Stops Along The Way section of our website www.northhuron.on.ca