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Traveling with your dog is more popular than ever before. A recent survey by the Travel Industry Association of America notes that in the US alone 29 million people travel with their dogs every year, a number that has almost doubled in the past five years.

While traveling with your dog can mean a more joyous vacation for you and your four-legged friend, it doesn’t come without certain risks. Although you don’t have the heartache of leaving him in a kennel or alone at home with only visits from a dog sitter, your decision to bring your dog along on a trip means you’ll need to take extra precautions to ensure his safety while he’s traveling with you.

For most travelers with dogs, auto travel is the most common mode of transport. It’s important to secure your dog while driving, whether that’s by means of a special dog harness or seatbelt designed for canines or inside a car kennel.

Securing your dog not only keeps him safer in the case of an accident but also means a safer drive for you and your human passengers since an unsecured dog can become a dangerous projectile in an accident.

Also, if an accident should result in an open door, either because of the accident or by emergency personnel, your dog can easily escape to possibly be hit by traffic or to get lost in unfamiliar territory. Play it safe and keep him secure at all times.

The change in his familiar setting, the new travel routine, and your family’s excitement over the trip can increase the likelihood of your dog (no matter how well trained) getting lost during a trip, whether it’s by dashing out a hotel door or bolting during a bathroom break.

Always keep at least one form of ID on your dog at all times. Before your vacation, consider having a new ID tag made for your dog including the number of the cell phone you’ll have during your trip. If the trip will include several days at one location, such as a beach house, consider having a tag made with the address of your vacation destination. Tags are inexpensive and can be invaluable in case of a lost dog.

Also, consider having your dog microchipped before your vacation if he is not already. Travel with your dog’s microchip information as well as your vet’s telephone number back home.

Another precaution just in case your dog should be lost on the road is to make sure you have a current photo of your dog, both a head shot and a full body shot, just in case he should be lost. You’ll need to either carry the photos with you on the trip or have them available online where you can download them and copy them at a print shop on the road. Photo sharing sites like Flickr are excellent for storing your dog’s photo; you’ll be able to access it anywhere you can get internet access. Another option is to email the photo to a webmail account such as Yahoo, Gmail or Hotmail for download when you need it.

Just a few precautions before your trip can mean a safe and happy journey for you and your dog—and that’s what a vacation is all about, after all.