Pet Lovers

[KingstonsMom]

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.

[NickNack]

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.

[software]

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.

[GingerPeach]

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.

[Carmie]

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.

[Sammycat1]

@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!

[KingstonsMom]

@Sammycat1

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

Thankfully, that's illegal where I live!

[JeanLouiseFinch]

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.

[CrazyDaisy]

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

[ccassaday]

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.