Traveling with Pets
For most of us, pets are members of the family and we wouldn't think of RV travel without them. There are, of course, some special considerations when traveling with furry friends.
Top Considerations
Temperature Monitoring
You will undoubtedly leave your pet unattended in the van at times, potentially for long stretches. There are two main temperature monitoring products to explore. Both provide real time monitoring and will theoretically notify you immediately by text if the temperature goes outside the range you set. Both use cell phone networks for coverage and therefore have subscription plans, and neither is perfect. Be sure to read reviews.
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Waggle Lite: the dominant player in the market, Waggle offers a suite of well designed products. The major complaints are subsription cost and strength of network coverage.
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MarCELL: while lesser known and less full featured, MarCELL's subscriptions are less expensive and the coverage is better. The biggest compaint about MarCELL is that even though alerts are immediate and included, they charge 25 cents for an "instant update" -- i.e., getting a temperature reading just because you're curious.
Video
Monitoring
Keeping an eye on your pets (and you van camper in general) while you're out provides peace of mind. There are two basic ways to accomplish this:
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Cameras that connect to cell networks to create a video feed (fewer options and carries a subscription cost)
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Cameras that connect to a WiFi hotspot that you're already using in the van (countless options that may or may not have subscription charges beyond your hot spot)
Your camera will need power. Some options, like Amazon's Blink system, have battery powered cameras and those that plug into USB, which draws the least amount of power. Waggle offers a camera that integrates into its system.
Using a Starlink + cameras is an excellent way to monitor temp and pets.
Head over to the Equipping Your Van section to learn more.
Window & Door
Screens
Van camper bug screens don't have a reputation for durability in the best of circumstances. They are certainly no match for your pet. Cats tend to think they're scratching posts, and dogs often fling themselves at a screen if they see a squirrel or stranger...or whatever! The result is predictable. The only "solution" is to rig up something that creates a barrier between your pet and the screens. People often use baby gates for the sliding door, but window screens are trickier.
Pet Gear
As if you didn't have enough pet gear already, your van camper provides an opportunity to buy more! Look for anything collapsible...food/water dishes and crates in particular.
Head over to the Equipping Your Van section to learn more.
