Traveling with Your Pet
Below you’ll find additional information on how to safely travel with your furry family member, some guidelines that are recommended to follow, and even some product recommendations.
When it comes to dogs, while your pup may be an excellent traveling companion, allowing him to roam freely in the car is generally considered unwise. You should never drive with your dog on your lap, as this is a potentially major distraction for you while driving. Your dog may try to dive under your feet, or out the window. In the event of an accident, your dog could be severely injured or killed by the airbag, or by hitting the windshield. In some states, it’s even illegal to drive with your dog on your lap. The passenger seat is a no-go for your dog as well, given the potential for airbag or windshield injury. The backseat is preferable.
If you have a pickup truck, do not let your dog ride unsecured in the truck bed. Many dogs have been severely injured jumping out of pickup trucks, some at relatively high speeds. In some states, it’s actually illegal to let a dog ride loose in the back of a pickup.
Many pooches love to stick their head out the window, and we admit, it is fun to see.
However, if the window is rolled down too far, some dogs can escape. Dogs are also at risk of eye injury from flying gravel or other debris. If your pet just can’t travel without hanging his head out the window, consider a pair of protective glasses like Doggles (yes, they’re actually a thing).
Let’s say you’re interested in purchasing a car harness or crate for your dog, or a carrier for your cat. Which one to buy? There are many on the market, but they are not all created equal. Until very recently, there was no data on how well items sold for restraining a pet in the car actually worked. However, the nonprofit Center for Pet Safety has been conducting a series of studies including crash testing on the viability of various car restraint products. Here are some of their findings and recommendations:
Some harnesses only prevented the dog becoming a distraction to the driver, while providing no actual protection to the dog itself in the event of a car accident.
Do not buckle in a small carrier unless the manufacturer of said carrier has provided crash test video evidence illustrating its structural integrity. The CPS found that buckling in some carriers actually led them to be crushed in an accident.
Products deemed Top-Performers by the Center for Pet Safety:
For more information about all the hard work the Center for Pet Safety is putting into protecting your pet, visit their website: https://www.centerforpetsafety.org/