Keeping Your Dog Safe Around Vehicle’s
Keeping Your Dog Safe Around Vehicle’s
Posted on October 18, 2019
Dogs are man’s best friend, we love to take them with us on adventures, and to make them part of our everyday lives. Unlike humans, however, dogs aren’t aware of how vehicles operate, so a healthy dose of extra caution will help you travel with your dog safely.
Leash Your Pet
First, always keep your dog leashed around vehicles. Whether that’s in a garage or parking lot, or along the side of the road; keeping a leash on your pet will stop it from running out into traffic and hurting itself.
Restrain Inside The Vehicle
You should also secure your dogs inside the car. If you have a truck, it’s best not to travel with your dog in the bed because this can be extremely dangerous. As a matter of fact, it’s illegal to have your dog unsecured in the back of a pickup truck in Calgary, and throughout much of Canada.
Your dog should be restrained using an animal approved seat belt/safety harness in the back seat. These devices click into your existing belt and allow the dog some range of movement so it stays comfortable. They also keep the dog safe in an accident.
You can also use a dog booster seat for small dogs, which allows them to see out the window while providing safety. These click into existing seat belts and provide an additional harness for your dog.
A dog barrier can also be a helpful feature that’s installed between the front and rear seats of your vehicle. You can also install it between the back seats and the cargo area if you have an SUV. This keeps your dog secure in the back, but it could still get loose in an accident if the tailgate opens.
For added protection, put your pet in a pet-crate secured to the vehicle. A good crate with hard sides is an excellent way to keep your dog secure in a car. A crate should be roomy enough for your dog to turn around inside of it, have lots of ventilation, and some nice comfy bedding in it.
Never clip a leash directly to a seatbelt, as this can cause injury or death in an accident by putting strain on the dogs neck.
Why Restraints Help
Securing your animal is important in the event of an accident, for a few reasons:
A loose dog can be thrown out of the car in an accident, or even just a sudden stop. They can get ejected through the windshield, and become dangerous projectile which can injure other passengers and themselves.
If a dog escapes after an accident, either through a broken window or open door, it may be scared and run away. It could become lost or just run through traffic, causing a hazard for other drivers.
An unrestrained dog can be a nuisance to rescue workers, and attempt to bite them when they are trying to take potentially life-saving action for you and your family.
There’s many reasons to keep you and your pet safe, and many ways to do it. Armed with this information, you and your dogs can have many wonderful years together.