The portable toilet and it's accessories in a tote takes up less space in the car than the pets and their food and their toys and their blankets and their... Typist: Bethany
There were plenty of rest stops when the dogs and I drove west through Iowa and Nebraska on our road trip back to Seattle from Buffalo. However, not one of those rest stops had enough shade for me to safely leave the dogs alone in the car to go to the bathroom on a ninety degree day. There were absolutely no rest stops as I slogged through an over one hundred degree day of driving towards Phoenix with three dogs and a cockatoo. Even though it seemed I was in the middle of nowhere, I learned from many road trips with my dad and grandfather that even men shouldn't just randomly unzip when being a polite, law abiding visitor. Pet friendly Mather Campground at the Grand Canyon National Park had clean, convenient restrooms but pets are not allowed in National Park buildings nor could they be left unattended at the campsite. What does a solo traveler with pets do when nature calls? I don't mean the pets. I always have bags and supplies to clean up after them. I mean, what happens when a lone human has gotta go but there are pets in tow? The pets can't be left alone if it is too hot, cold, unsafe or illegal. A human can't hold it for an entire pet friendly road trip or camping excursion. There is one easy and convenient item to bring on pet friendly solo travel that keeps humans comfortable and pets safe. I always carry my own travel toilet.
There were plenty of rest stops when the dogs and I drove west through Iowa and Nebraska on our road trip back to Seattle from Buffalo. However, not one of those rest stops had enough shade for me to safely leave the dogs alone in the car to go to the bathroom on a ninety degree day. There were absolutely no rest stops as I slogged through an over one hundred degree day of driving towards Phoenix with three dogs and a cockatoo. Even though it seemed I was in the middle of nowhere, I learned from many road trips with my dad and grandfather that even men shouldn't just randomly unzip when being a polite, law abiding visitor. Pet friendly Mather Campground at the Grand Canyon National Park had clean, convenient restrooms but pets are not allowed in National Park buildings nor could they be left unattended at the campsite. What does a solo traveler with pets do when nature calls? I don't mean the pets. I always have bags and supplies to clean up after them. I mean, what happens when a lone human has gotta go but there are pets in tow? The pets can't be left alone if it is too hot, cold, unsafe or illegal. A human can't hold it for an entire pet friendly road trip or camping excursion. There is one easy and convenient item to bring on pet friendly solo travel that keeps humans comfortable and pets safe. I always carry my own travel toilet.
| The idea for pet friendly road trips and camping with a portable toilet might have come from living in a van during summers as a child, traveling the country with my parents, brother and two dogs. My mom and dad always had a camp toilet stowed away for road side "emergencies." The toilet I have takes up even less space and has saved me from the horrors of having to leave my pets alone in any unsafe conditions when I have to go. I can conveniently use my toilet at my campsite to avoid breaking no pets unattended campground rules, worrying about the pets being stolen or risking the pets annoying neighbors while I am out. Of course, whipping out a travel toilet in a campground, rest area or on the side of the road may not be for everyone, but neither is solo travel with pets. The safety of my pets matters more to me than modesty. Wait. I am making it sound like I just sit down and go out in the open. Getting in trouble for indecent exposure or public urination wouldn't be very safe for my pets either. No. I set the toilet up in the van or outside of the car with a quick do-it-yourself hide attached to the car door. This still might not be a solo pet travel bathroom solution for everyone but it is a safe for the pets and good for the human solution to bathroom breaks to consider when traveling alone with pets. |  All it takes is a sheet to quickly create a DIY privacy screen to use the toilet without putting the pets in weather, theft or lawbreaking danger. |
The clamps I use to create toilet privacy are the same as the ones that are always in my road trip tool kit. A larger sheet or a spare towel or two can be used for more privacy which may be necessary if the vehicle doesn't not have tinted glass. This toilet hide took about two minutes to set up in a downpour. I always park in the most remote location legally possible.
My travel toilet, plenty of waste bags and all other necessary accessories are kept together in a large tote which I always pack near a door for quick and easy accessibility. Even if I don't have to use the toilet or make a toilet privacy screen, having clamps, a spare sheet, rags, trash bags, toilet paper, disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer near a door can be helpful for a lot of pet friendly travel situations. Just like with cleaning up after my pets, I clean up after myself with the same care. I am always aware of human waste disposal laws and I never, ever leave waste of any kind behind. I keep thick trash bags with my toilet because, just like with pet waste, I double bag my toilet waste if I must pack it out. Leave-no-trace travel ethics are yet another reason why all solo travelers with pets, male or female, should consider the merits of packing a travel toilet.
 The glamping tent has a huge vestibule, a perfect spot for a camp toilet. |  When car camping with the smaller tent, the portable toilet is easily set up inside the van. |
Rushing through using a rest stop or campground bathroom due to fearing for the safety of the pets is no way to travel. I know. I've lived it. Every moment of solo travel with dogs, cats, cockatoos or any pets, should be safe and enjoyable for all creatures on the trip. The incredible bonding I have done with the pets when it is just them, me and the road can't be described in words. Bringing my own toilet on pet friendly road and camping trips has taken so much of the stress away from my solo travels. Plus, the travel toilet and it's refill packets are much less expensive than an RV. So I forgo a little bit of modesty, pack my travel toilet bag and head out on pet friendly adventures, keeping my pets safe even when nature calls.
Cascadian Nomads was not asked to or paid to promote any products or businesses mentioned and linked in this post. We paid for all mentioned and linked products ourselves and we are in no way compensated for clicking on the links we've provided. We're just sharing information and stuff we like!
Have you ever traveled alone with just a pet or two or more? What did you do to keep your pets safe when you needed to use the toilet?
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