topic Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles in Pet Lovers

Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

KingstonsMom — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 18:54:19 GMT

Do you use a safety restraint for your dog in the car?

I do and I hope others do too!

I have a safety harness for Kingston that attaches his safety harness to the seat belt connection in the car.

A friend of mine had a car accident with her dog in the car, unrestrained, and her dog didn't survive.

This subject came to my mind after reading this story today:

Authorities say a woman who was chasing her dog on Interstate 95 after she crashed her car has been killed.

Katie Mason, 28, of Stafford, Virginia, was driving her 2007 Toyota Camry southbound on I-95 on Saturday night around 10pm.

The car ran off the interstate and struck the guardrail near Exit 136, Virginia State Police said.

Mason's dog, a black pug named Stella, escaped the car following the wreck and ran into the roadway.

She chased after the canine in the southbound lanes and was struck by two cars.

Officials say the driver of one of the cars, a 2012 Honda Civic, was 'unable to avoid striking' her, reported WTOP.

Mason died at the scene. Stella the dog was also struck and killed.

Rest in Peace Mason and Stella.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

NickNack — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 19:37:15 GMT

That's very sad. I have a car seat for my dog and a carrier for my cat. The car seat has been crash tested (Pup Saver) and has a harness that goes with it and straps her in. My cat's carrier has also been crash tested. It's a Sleepypod. Thanks for posting this important reminder.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

software — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 00:32:58 GMT

And the ones who do survive the wreck are lost forever, running away.

I hear about it all the time.

When I had my furbabies, they were always restrained. I couldn't take a chance on them running around the car while I'm driving. Or if I got pulled over or even wrecked.

If you love your furbabies, treat them like you love them.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

GingerPeach — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 01:20:00 GMT

I think it should be a law, @KingstonsMom

I saw a dog with its head and shoulders all the way out of the driver's window today. Makes me shudder.

And does everyone remember what happened to that beautiful Bichon who was pulled from his owner's car and tossed into oncoming traffic?

So many things can threaten our animal friends. His name was Leo.

And I think the tests should be done by independent third parties, and not by the manufacturers of the restraints.

Whole Dog Journal periodically reports on pet car restraints. They take no advertising so are unbiased in that regard.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

Carmie — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 02:39:54 GMT

My two dog travel a lot with us. We live in PA, and they go with us on vacation all of the time. They travel with us even when we drive to Florida.

They travel in Sturdibags that are seat belted in the back seat. They each have one. They just climb into their bags, lay down and go to sleep. We originally got them for under the seat airline travel.

Some kind of safe restraint is needed for accidents and even if you just open the door to get out. Many people have permanently lost their pets when they jumped out and ran off at rest stops and other unfamiliar places.

Thanks for giving this reminder. Travel season is almost here.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

Sammycat1 — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 03:13:42 GMT

@KingstonsMom

Thank you for posting this. Our cats and dogs have always had proper safety restraints. We live in a rural area with many 45 and 55 mph roads and it drives me crazy to see people with their dogs (and sometimes kids) in the back of pickups. Unbelievable!

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

KingstonsMom — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 12:04:32 GMT

@Sammycat1

Oh, I agree! Unrestrained pets in the back of a pickup is even worse!

Thankfully, that's illegal where I live!

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

JeanLouiseFinch — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 13:51:00 GMT

For travel, our dog wears a Kurgo harness. I have fashioned two leashes as teathers for him in the back cargo area of our car. I believe having two will keep him more secure because they limit his abilitly to move around too much and eventually he just lays down. Due to his size, this is the best we can do. When DH has had to use his sedan to transport the dog, the dog still wears his harness and then DH uses the bak seat seatbelt to secure him.

I always thought I'd like to be able to just let the do hop in the car and ride along with me, but the more I've read, that's a danger to both the driver and the dog, experienced it too when our dog was first with us. Learned my lesson quickly. Dogs loose in the car are a big no-no and the owner is taking on a huge, needless risk.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

CrazyDaisy — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 13:56:21 GMT

Both my dogs are in safety tested secured crates. The only way they will ever travel.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

ccassaday — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 18:19:11 GMT

Yes. It hooks to her harness then a seatbelt. I can’t believe how many pets getclost after a accident. Owners end up being taken to the hospital and the dog leaves the scene of the accident. Not to mention they become a missel.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

sidsmom — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 18:42:17 GMT

I have about zillion questions.

Why wasn’t this smaller animal in a carrier?

Why did her car run off the interstate?

Was the driver impaired making a life-threatening decision to herself?

Was she distracted with the loose animal?

Think once we peel back the layers, a safety harness, although important,

is probably the least of everyone’s worries with this story.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

CrazyDaisy — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 19:09:14 GMT

@sidsmom wrote:
I have about zillion questions.

Why wasn’t this smaller animal in a carrier?
Why did her car run off the interstate?
Was the driver impaired making a life-threatening decision to herself?
Was she distracted with the loose animal?

Think once we peel back the layers, a safety harness, although important,
is probably the least of everyone’s worries with this story.

Accidents happen, fact of life. Point of the story is if the dog had been properly restrained (I firmly believe crates are best), they would both be alive today.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

GingerPeach — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 23:41:45 GMT

@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@sidsmom wrote:
I have about zillion questions.

Why wasn’t this smaller animal in a carrier?
Why did her car run off the interstate?
Was the driver impaired making a life-threatening decision to herself?
Was she distracted with the loose animal?

Think once we peel back the layers, a safety harness, although important,
is probably the least of everyone’s worries with this story.
Accidents happen, fact of life. Point of the story is if the dog had been properly restrained (I firmly believe crates are best), they would both be alive today.

I think we can all agree that any device that keeps an animal safe in a car is important, whether safety harness or crate.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

CrazyDaisy — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 13:31:52 GMT

@GingerPeach wrote:
@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@sidsmom wrote:
I have about zillion questions.

Why wasn’t this smaller animal in a carrier?
Why did her car run off the interstate?
Was the driver impaired making a life-threatening decision to herself?
Was she distracted with the loose animal?

Think once we peel back the layers, a safety harness, although important,
is probably the least of everyone’s worries with this story.
Accidents happen, fact of life. Point of the story is if the dog had been properly restrained (I firmly believe crates are best), they would both be alive today.
I think we can all agree that any device that keeps an animal safe in a car is important, whether safety harness or crate.

In my opinion a "safety harness" is not much better and in some products worse than nothing at all. Others have different opinions, thats fine it is there pets. Mine will never be in the car without being in a sturdy crate.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

MoJoV — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 21:23:18 GMT

@KingstonsMom wow what a sad sad story. I used to have my dogs on my lap. I realize how dangerously stupid that is. Now they're crated.

I used to leave the cats we had outside,too. Another very stupid thing I would never do now. We learn.

Thanks for bringing an important subject to our attention.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

KingstonsMom — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 23:03:24 GMT

@sidsmom wrote:
I have about zillion questions.

Why wasn’t this smaller animal in a carrier?
Why did her car run off the interstate?
Was the driver impaired making a life-threatening decision to herself?
Was she distracted with the loose animal?

Think once we peel back the layers, a safety harness, although important,
is probably the least of everyone’s worries with this story.

@sidsmom

My point in this thread was your first and fourth questions, not the details of the accident, those were not disclosed.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

GingerPeach — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 03:16:10 GMT

@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@GingerPeach wrote:
@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@sidsmom wrote:
I have about zillion questions.

Why wasn’t this smaller animal in a carrier?
Why did her car run off the interstate?
Was the driver impaired making a life-threatening decision to herself?
Was she distracted with the loose animal?

Think once we peel back the layers, a safety harness, although important,
is probably the least of everyone’s worries with this story.
Accidents happen, fact of life. Point of the story is if the dog had been properly restrained (I firmly believe crates are best), they would both be alive today.
I think we can all agree that any device that keeps an animal safe in a car is important, whether safety harness or crate.
In my opinion a "safety harness" is not much better and in some products worse than nothing at all. Others have different opinions, thats fine it is there pets. Mine will never be in the car without being in a sturdy crate.

You're absolutely right there are shoddy safety harnesses, @CrazyDaisy I did say "any device that keeps an animal safe." I didn't say, just use any old safety harness. Just want to be clear about that.

Whole Dog Journal has periodic articles on testing new ones. That's why I said in an earlier post here they should be tested by independent third parties and not the manufacturers who will just say they are perfectly safe when they're not.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

CrazyDaisy — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 09:48:17 GMT

@GingerPeach wrote:
@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@GingerPeach wrote:
@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@sidsmom wrote:
I have about zillion questions.

Why wasn’t this smaller animal in a carrier?
Why did her car run off the interstate?
Was the driver impaired making a life-threatening decision to herself?
Was she distracted with the loose animal?

Think once we peel back the layers, a safety harness, although important,
is probably the least of everyone’s worries with this story.
Accidents happen, fact of life. Point of the story is if the dog had been properly restrained (I firmly believe crates are best), they would both be alive today.
I think we can all agree that any device that keeps an animal safe in a car is important, whether safety harness or crate.
In my opinion a "safety harness" is not much better and in some products worse than nothing at all. Others have different opinions, thats fine it is there pets. Mine will never be in the car without being in a sturdy crate.
You're absolutely right there are shoddy safety harnesses, @CrazyDaisy I did say "any device that keeps an animal safe." I didn't say, just use any old safety harness. Just want to be clear about that.
Whole Dog Journal has periodic articles on testing new ones. That's why I said in an earlier post here they should be tested by independent third parties and not the manufacturers who will just say they are perfectly safe when they're not.

You just need to accept that we disagree. I will NEVER use anytype of harness as a restraint for my dog in the car. I do not feel any of them provide the safety i want for them. You are welcome to use whatever product you are comfortable using. My dogs will always travel safely in crash tested crates.

Re: Importance of Safety Restraints for Pets in Vehicles

GingerPeach — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 20:02:15 GMT

@CrazyDaisy

That is not my argument. Clearly, anyone is free to choose what they wish.

I was clarifiying what I said. I did not intend to state anything about what you prefer or believe in.