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Travelling with Your Dog | Advice and Tips
June 25, 2018
7 Top Tips to make travelling with your dog that little bit easier
At West Country Parks we understand that dogs are an important part of the family and many of our visitors like to bring their furry friends along on their holidays - so
all of our Holiday Parks are dog-friendly and we welcome conscientious pet owners.
We also know that travelling with the family can sometimes be stressful so here are our top tips to make travelling with your dog that little bit easier for you all!
1. Pack some food for your pet
To prevent sickness, it is advised that you feed your pet no sooner than two hours before you travel. If your journey is long enough to cover a period of time that your pet would normally be fed, remember to take their regular food with you. If your dog is prone to car-sickness we suggest that you talk to your vet prior to travelling.
2. Exercise your pet before you leave
The more energy you can burn-off before you set-off, the more likely it is that your dog will be happy to rest for at least some of the journey!
3. Make sure that your pet is comfortable and secure before setting off
If not secured properly he/she could cause an unintentional distraction, endangering themselves and you whilst you are driving. Travelling down the M5 at 70 miles per hour is probably not the ideal time for Fido to clamber onto your lap!
4. Take plenty of water with you for rest stops
Your dog should always have access to water during your travels.
5. Take regular breaks
Much like young children, your pet should be allowed time to stretch, drink and go to the toilet throughout your journey. Always exercise your dog on a lead and make sure that they can’t escape when you get them out of the vehicle. And always have your poop-bags ready!
6. Never leave your dog alone in your vehicle on a warm or hot day
The RSPCA
advises that this can cause ‘distress and suffering and lead to the death of your pet’. A car can become extremely hot even when it doesn’t feel that warm outside. When it’s 22 degrees outside, it can reach an unbearable 47 degrees in your car in less than an hour - cracking the window open will not make the slightest bit of difference.
7. Make sure you can access your pets essential items
Pack the essentials for your pet and make sure that they are easy to access throughout your journey. We would recommend a water bowl, food, medications, poop-bags, a spare name-tag and collar with leash, towel, dog bed/blanket, favourite toy and of course - treats! Items that are familiar to your pet will help to keep them distracted, calm and relaxed.
We hope these tips make any upcoming holidays a little easier for both you and your pet! To find out more about our dog-friendly Holiday Parks please contact us.
Latest News
Providing a clean and attractive destination for our visitors to enjoy not only benefits our business, it also positively impacts our local community and the wider environment. Which is why we have committed to join Surfers Against Sewage Million Mile Clean . Now the biggest initiative of its kind in the UK, the Million Mile Clean is an annual event, mobilising 1,000,000 million volunteers to clean over 10,000,000 miles of UK landscape between 2021 - 2030. It’s reported that more than 2 million pieces of litter are dropped in the UK every day at a cost of £1 billion to the taxpayer. So, we are asking visitors and the local community to get pro-active and join us at Riverside Holiday Village near Weston-super-Mare on Thursday 24th April from 11.00am - 1.00pm for an organised 2 mile ‘litter pick’ along Bridgwater Road (Hospital Roundabout - Hobbs Boat Inn). ‘Clean Kits’ will be provided; we’re just asking for 2 hours of your time to help clean up this public space.
We are proud to share that Riverside Holiday Village has achieved the Environmental and Sustainability Award at the prestigious Somerset Business Awards 2025. This award recognises companies or individuals who can demonstrate a positive and long-term impact on the environment within their businesses. With evidence to show how they have improved environmental performance, implemented the efficient use of resources or supported sustainable development or environmentally-friendly schemes. We were also shortlisted for the Medium Business of the Year Award . Speaking about the awards, David Crew, Somerset Chamber Managing Director, said; 'Every year the awards recognise and honour the achievements of our vibrant business community. The economic situation may be challenging, but Somerset’s business community had again shown resilience and excellence across all sectors.'. Commenting after the awards dinner, which was held at The Winter Gardens Pavillion in Weston-super-Mare, David Tattersall, Group Manager at West Country Parks, commented; 'We are delighted to have achieved this award. As a business, we have become increasingly aware of our environmental responsibilities; from reducing waste and energy use, to increasing biodiversity and supporting eco-friendly initiatives, we have really embraced this element of our business over the last few years and it's fantastic to have had all of our hard work recognised.' We would like to thank our visitors, supporters and all of our fantastic team for your support.
Gareth Hockey, Director of RHL Activities: “We’re excited to have Riverside Holiday Village on board as an official camping partner. Their commitment to providing our riders and spectators with a top-quality stay makes them a perfect fit for the Weston Beach Race experience.” David Tattersall, Group Manager of West Country Park Homes: “We’re really pleased with the opportunity of working with RHL and providing superb camping, dining and entertainment facilities for Weston Beach Race riders and fans. This Event benefits many local businesses and offers something different and, clearly appealing, every year it’s held. It’s a real positive for the Town! We look forward to seeing you all in October.”