Question for Dog Owners

[Cobbfmly]

When you are traveling with your dog, esp camping, how do you manage to attend mass, esp in areas where it is too hot to leave your dog in the car?

 

[Brenda_V]

When camping I have done a number of things from chaining the dog up near my tent with water and a way to enter the tent if she wanted to all the way to taking the dog with me to Mass.

The time we took a dog with us to Mass was when we were in Germany and Mass was held in the tiny movie theater of this villa near the campground and the dog was in our VW bus but barked and barked and Fr. stopped Mass and asked if “that barking dog belonged to anyone here, if so, please go get it and bring it in, I will wait for you”. So, my mom went and got the dog (a small cocka-poo) and the dog sat under my moms chair two Sundays in a row, no one even knew the second Sunday she was there because mom brought her in in a purse big enough for her to be carried and sat her under her chair before Mass started. I honestly think this dog was the first “designer dog” ever - she went through a lot of touring with us in a purse!

Usually though I had someones camper to put the dog in so it worked okay because the camper doesn’t get as hot as a car.

Brenda V.

 

[Cobbfmly]

When camping I have done a number of things from chaining the dog up near my tent with water and a way to enter the tent if she wanted to all the way to taking the dog with me to Mass.

The time we took a dog with us to Mass was when we were in Germany and Mass was held in the tiny movie theater of this villa near the campground and the dog was in our VW bus but barked and barked and Fr. stopped Mass and asked if “that barking dog belonged to anyone here, if so, please go get it and bring it in, I will wait for you”. So, my mom went and got the dog (a small cocka-poo) and the dog sat under my moms chair two Sundays in a row, no one even knew the second Sunday she was there because mom brought her in in a purse big enough for her to be carried and sat her under her chair before Mass started. I honestly think this dog was the first “designer dog” ever - she went through a lot of touring with us in a purse!

Usually though I had someones camper to put the dog in so it worked okay because the camper doesn’t get as hot as a car.

Brenda V.

Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut. Where we will be camping, along with most public campgrounds in our state, dogs are not allowed in an unattended vehicle, so anytime we all leave the campsite, we must take him with us. He is a 55 lb standard poodle.

 

[babz]

You can call a local vet to see if they have a babysitting service or if they know of a local one. Some larger pet stores like Petco or Petsmart have a doggy daycare service. If that doesn’t work then call the ASPCA or even PETA and they can probably fix you up with an excellent babsitter for your dog.

 

[Gearoidin]

Try contacting the church. The local sisters here have doggy-sat dogs for people in your position.
Gearoidin

 

[Lucania]

You can call a local vet to see if they have a babysitting service or if they know of a local one. Some larger pet stores like Petco or Petsmart have a doggy daycare service. If that doesn’t work then call the ASPCA or even PETA and they can probably fix you up with an excellent babsitter for your dog.

Good idea! If I knew I would be in that situation, I would plan ahead & make the call. I would never be comfortable leaving my Dog at the campsite .

 

[Cobbfmly]

You can call a local vet to see if they have a babysitting service or if they know of a local one. Some larger pet stores like Petco or Petsmart have a doggy daycare service. If that doesn’t work then call the ASPCA or even PETA and they can probably fix you up with an excellent babsitter for your dog.

Try contacting the church. The local sisters here have doggy-sat dogs for people in your position.
Gearoidin

I like these ideas. My favorite is calling the parish. I think this is the most likely to result in a very workable solution. If the rectory has a fenced yard and the pastor agrees, he could even stay there.

There are three vets in the town we will be attending mass in, which I could call. The town only has 3500 people, so there are no large pet stores like Petco. They do not have an SPCA organization, but they do have ICARE (Inyo County Animal Resources & Educaton), which I could call. I won’t deal with PETA. I don’t agree with their overall goal (eliminating animal ownership, including service dogs, etc) and tactics.

 

[Lucania]

I won’t deal with PETA. I don’t agree with their overall goal (eliminating animal ownership, including service dogs, etc) and tactics.

I didn’t realize that they were that extreme . No, I don’t agree with that either. Looks like the Parish is your best option. Let us know how it works out.

 

[babz]

Calling the local parish is a great idea! As for PETA they do support animal ownership, just not “backyard” dogs where people tie their animals up and just leave them there. I do agree though, they do have extreme tactics that I don’t agree with. It was just a thought. As long as you go with whatever you feel most comfortable with everything will work out.

 

[Gigglin4God]

When my husband and I had to evacuate for Hurricane Rita a few years ago, We were staying with his Aunt and Uncle. All we did was my husband went to one Mass and came back and when he got back I went to the other one so that our dog was never alone or stressed out even with his Aunt and Uncle and family around.

 

[Cobbfmly]

Thank you to everyone for the advice. I have sent an email to the parish. The email has been forwarded to the pastor. They will email me back once the have recommendations from the pastor.

 

[Altesse]

When you are traveling with your dog, esp camping, how do you manage to attend mass, esp in areas where it is too hot to leave your dog in the car?

Call the church and ask if you can bring him to mass if you sit in the back. Take turns going up for communion.