With kids finishing school and Memorial Day around the corner, many Americans are looking forward to summer vacation and a little traveling. They also are wondering how best to provide for their dogs while they are gone. Many of us would love to take our dogs along. But when traveling extensively, particularly if it involves air travel, bringing Rover may not be feasible or desirable.

Japan Tsunami Flooding

Every time there is a disaster in the world, photos of stranded, injured and abandoned animals inevitably surface on the Internet. Since Hurricane Katrina leveled New Orleans, it seems awareness of the plight of domesticated animals has increased. The earthquake and tsunami in Japan have produced their share of animal-survivor stories too.

I. Thou shalt keep thy dog current on his shots. Your dog can contract diseases from the things it tastes on the ground, from insects that bite him, and even from other dogs' saliva. For a few bucks, you can protect him from a miserable death. There are discount clinics all over the place, so sacrifice a few lattes for your dog.