Volvo Trucks North America and the nonprofit Center for Pet Safety have released a free Safe Travels With Your Pet guide covering restraints, emergency preparation, temperature concerns, and other situations drivers can encounter while traveling with a pet.

An estimated 800,000 pets travel in commercial trucks across the United States, according to Volvo. The company also reports that more than 60% of commercial truck drivers own a pet, with nearly 40% of those drivers bringing their pet on the road.

Restraints Are a Major Focus

One of the guide’s primary recommendations is keeping pets properly restrained whenever the truck is moving.

Rather than relying on a product simply marketed for vehicle use, the guide addresses selecting and properly using crash-tested harnesses and carriers. The Center for Pet Safety independently tests and certifies harnesses, carriers, and travel crates against its safety standards.

The guide also covers where restraints should be positioned and how drivers can set up the cab to reduce risks from sudden braking or a crash.

Preparing for Weather and Emergencies

Pet safety away from home involves more than securing an animal while the truck is moving. The new resource includes information about hot and cold weather, overnight stops, and preparing for unexpected situations.

Drivers can also find recommendations for assembling a pet first-aid kit, planning for emergencies, and handling hotel stays. Seasonal considerations are included for drivers traveling through changing climates during a run.

The complete Safe Travels With Your Pet guide is available to download for free.

Volvo VNL Put Through Pet Safety Evaluation

The guide follows an evaluation conducted by Volvo and the Center for Pet Safety at the Volvo Customer Center in Dublin, Virginia, in December 2025.

During the evaluation, Center for Pet Safety experts examined the Volvo VNL’s interior layout, restraint options, strength-tested anchor points, and climate-control features. Dogs secured with approved harnesses and carriers were also taken onto the facility’s test track so the organization could observe the setups under actual driving conditions.

The evaluation found that the VNL’s strength-tested anchor points are compatible with Center for Pet Safety Certified harnesses and carriers.

The work continued into 2026 with the development of the new digital guide, extending the project beyond one truck model and providing pet travel information that drivers can use regardless of the truck they operate.

The TDUSA editorial team creates practical, driver-focused content covering trucking news, industry updates, safety, regulations, and career information for professional truck drivers across the United States. Each article is built to reflect real-world experience, industry developments, and information drivers can use on and off the road.

Last Updated: September 15, 2026

Source: Truckers News

Source: Volvo Trucks North America

The post New Pet Safety Guide Offers Resources for Truck Drivers Traveling with Dogs and Cats appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.

Truck drivers traveling with pets do not need an elaborate system. They need a practical emergency vet plan that can be used from the cab, especially when time, location, and access to the pet’s regular veterinarian are working against them.

Emergency Clinics Should Be Part of the Route Plan

Most drivers already think ahead about fuel, parking, and service locations on the routes they run often. Emergency vet care should be handled the same way for drivers who travel with pets.

A useful plan should include a few realistic emergency clinic options near areas the driver actually uses. That might mean a 24-hour clinic near home, one near a regular reset area, and one near a delivery region or metro lane the driver runs often. It does not need to cover every possible stop. It just needs to give the driver a place to start if a pet needs care away from home.

Keep Pet Records in the Truck Instead of at Home

When a pet goes to an emergency clinic, staff may ask for vaccine history, medication details, chronic health issues, allergies, or the contact information for the regular veterinarian. That information is easier to use when it is already in the truck.

Drivers traveling with pets should keep a basic medical file in the cab with:

rabies and vaccine records
the pet’s regular veterinarian contact information
current medications and dosage instructions
notes on allergies or chronic conditions
microchip information
a recent photo of the pet

Paper copies are useful, but digital copies matter too. If a folder is damaged or hard to find, the driver should still be able to pull up the same information from a phone.

Medication Refills Need to Be Checked Before a Long Run

Medication problems are easier to prevent before the truck leaves than they are to fix on the road. If a pet takes medication for seizures, diabetes, allergies, pain, anxiety, or another ongoing condition, the driver should know whether there is enough to cover the trip plus possible delays.

Before leaving, drivers should check how many doses are left, whether the medication needs refrigeration, and whether the veterinarian can provide a refill or written prescription if needed. Running out of medication away from home can create a preventable emergency, especially if the medication should not be skipped.

Save The Numbers A Driver Would Need First

A pet emergency can move quickly, and searching for phone numbers in the moment wastes time. Drivers should keep the most important contacts saved so they can reach them quickly.

That contact list should include:

the pet’s regular veterinarian
at least one 24-hour emergency clinic near a regular route or destination
ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Pet Poison Helpline

Poison-control numbers are worth saving because some emergencies start with exposure to something unsafe, not a visible injury. Dropped medication, certain foods, cleaning products, or chemicals around parking areas can all become urgent if a pet gets into them.

A Driver Emergency Can Become a Pet Care Problem

Emergency vet planning should also account for what happens if the driver is the one who cannot continue the trip. A crash, medical emergency, breakdown, or unexpected hospital visit can leave a pet in the truck with no clear caregiver.

Drivers should keep basic backup-care instructions in the cab or wallet. That information should include who can take the pet, what the pet eats, what medication it takes, the regular veterinarian’s contact information, and any handling notes another person would need. This keeps the plan connected to emergency care without turning the article into a general pet-sitting topic.

Emergency Vet Planning Is About Cutting Down the Delay

Truck drivers cannot prevent every pet emergency, but they can reduce the time lost to avoidable confusion. If a pet needs care on the road, the driver should not be starting from scratch with no records, no clinic options, no medication information, and no backup contact.

A workable plan is simple: know a few emergency clinic options, keep pet records in the truck, check medication before a long run, save the right phone numbers, and make sure someone can step in if the driver cannot care for the pet. Those steps can make a difficult situation easier to manage when help is needed away from home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an emergency vet treat a pet that is not an existing patient?

Yes. Emergency clinics commonly treat pets that are not regular patients, but having medical records available can help the clinic understand the pet’s vaccine history, medication needs, and existing conditions faster.

Should truck drivers call an emergency vet before driving there?

Yes, when possible. Calling ahead lets the clinic know what is happening and gives the driver a chance to confirm hours, location, and whether the clinic can handle the issue.

Can a regular veterinarian refill pet medication while a driver is on the road?

Sometimes, but it depends on the medication and the clinic’s policy. Drivers should ask about refill options before leaving instead of assuming the prescription can be handled from another state.

What should a truck driver do if a pet may have eaten something toxic?

Call an emergency vet or a pet poison-control line as soon as possible. The driver should be ready to explain what the pet may have eaten, how much, when it happened, and what symptoms are showing.

Is a 24-hour emergency vet always available near truck routes?

Not always. Some rural areas may have limited after-hours veterinary care, which is why drivers traveling with pets should identify emergency clinic options near regular lanes, rest areas, and delivery regions before a problem happens.

The Truck Drivers USA editorial team creates practical, driver-focused content covering industry topics, job trends, and real-world decisions that impact drivers at every stage of their careers. Each article is written to provide clear, accurate information that drivers can use.

Last Updated: June 29, 2026

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