Peg and I just returned from our first road trip vacation in many years. We went to the Pacific Northwest, up Highway 101 along the coast.
Besides getting a break from the routine of the office, we also used this journey as a fact-finding trip. I like to get out and see what the rest of the animal world is doing. And our drive would take us where we could see lots of different critters and visit with people to talk about pets.
On our first day – June 14 – we headed to the north coast of California, eventually spending the night in Eureka. As it turned out, that was the night a rather large earthquake struck the same area.
On the way, we stopped to watch some elk grazing in a pasture. These are gorgeous beasts that are found in a lot of locations in northern California. This small herd appeared to be completely at ease despite the intrusion of tourists who walked as close as they could to get a snapshot of them.
We also came across a few dogs and cats when we stopped into several antique shops. Road trips for us mean lots of antique hunting. We’re always looking for that special treasure. Some shop owners bring their pets to work with them. And on our first day, we met one very funny terrier.
“Ribeye” was the official greeting party for a store out of Ferndale, and anyone who walked up to him got a “smile.” He loved attention and liked to do tricks: sit, roll and play dead, just to please anyone who’d watch. He’d even sing if asked.
I hummed a few bars of a favorite song and he tried to join in. He was cute and talented, but his voice sounded like the rusty wheels on a 50-year-old toy wagon. I smiled, and not wanting to hurt his feelings, I told him how good he sounded anyway. He was really sorry to see us leave.
We arrived in Eureka in the late afternoon and drove through the old part of town, checking out areas we hadn’t seen in years. Children were playing with their dogs, and lots of people were enjoying sunshine that had been absent from these coastal towns for much of the spring and early summer. We found our hotel and unpacked the car. Near the parking lot, some raccoons enjoyed dinner in a nearby dumpster. Like the elk, they were undeterred by our presence, looking up only occasionally while they ate the leftovers of a discarded fast-food meal.
Every animal we saw seemed at ease. There were no signs of nervousness or distress. Looking back on this, we were a bit surprised. The earthquake that rocked the area a little after 8pm that evening was a strong one – 7.0 – and centered off the coast between Eureka and Crescent City. It was large enough to trigger an immediate tsunami warning. We were advised to seek higher ground.
Through all this, there was plenty of anxiety amongst a few of the local people. In Crescent City, some drove their cars across corner lots to move to the front of the line as automobiles queued up to leave town. Memories of the last fatal tsunami in the 1960s must have fueled their worries.
But the animals seemed not to care. The raccoons kept hunting for food. And I’ll bet Ribeye was ready to smile and sing a tune for anyone who’d listen.
For years, studies have been done to determine how animals react to earthquakes. Some investigators believe behavioral changes in pets can even help predict these temblors. But all the critters we saw were oblivious to this shaker.
And Peg and me? Well, we were heading out to higher ground when the news on the radio told us that the tsunami warning had been lifted. We turned around and headed to our hotel realizing that we were more than a just little lucky. This could have been the big one.
We love living in South County. Our little piece of paradise looks better to us every year, even after a great vacation. Over the years, I’ve told stories about some of the interesting people and animals I’ve met here in this valley. As it turns out, there are some pretty interesting individuals in northwest California as well. And we talked with just a few on our journey. One of them was a fellow named Curtis in the small town of Sedro Woolley, in northern Washington.
I met him at a local convenience store, buying a pack of cigarettes. His dog, Emmitt, was outside, waiting patiently for his owner to come out and go home.
Emmitt walked over to me and started checking me over with his nose. He was one of those big dogs that really gets his nose into his work, pushing hard against my leg. Curtis watched for a minute and then looked at me kind of funny.
“You must be a vet or somethin’. He never pays much attention to anyone else,” Curtis said.
“I am,” I told him, and reached over to give Emmitt a pat on the head. I like a smart dog.
With that, Curtis asked me a question that fits right in to the theme for this week. It’s all about vacations.
Q: How do I choose a boarding kennel for my dog? I want to take a trip, but don’t know where to take him.
A: First, I always tell pet owners that if you can’t take your pet with you, the best alternative is to leave him at home. Have someone care for him right there where he lives. Most pets are happier in their own environment.
A housesitter is best, but there are also services that will go to your home once or twice daily to care for your furry friend while you’re away. Picking the right one for this job isn’t too difficult. Find someone that has lots of recommendations from folks you know and can trust. Ask your local vet if he or she knows of someone for the job.
If this won’t work, then choose a kennel the same way. Find references from people who have used a kennel before. Ask questions. Request a tour from the owners of the facilities. Most of all, be comfortable with the people working there before you decide to have them care for your pet.
When you do leave, leave plenty of contact numbers. They’ll need to know the name and phone number of your pet’s vet. And they should also have some way to get in touch with you or another family member in case of an emergency.
I hope you have as a good a trip as ours. Maybe you’ll run into another very smart dog. But most of all, I hope you come home and realize that you, too, live in your own little piece of paradise.
