I’m Riding in YOUR Car…

Most people drive or ride in a car daily. We don’t think about the potential danger, we just hop in and go. Still, most of us use seat belts, secure babies and small children in car seats, and we rely on airbags and structural design to protect us in case of an accident. However, we often just put our dogs in the car and drive away. I admit I’m often guilty of this myself… So I thought it might be a good idea to remind us all about car safety for our furry family members.

I often see a dog sitting, or most often standing, on someone’s lap while they’re driving and I cringe because it’s just so dangerous. Having anything between a driver and the steering wheel is a driving distraction. Worst of all, AIRBAGS CAN KILL YOUR DOG! Unless you can deactivate the airbag, dogs should not ride in the front seat and never on someone’s lap. During a sudden stop, or in an accident, an unsecured pet can be thrown around inside the car. This could seriously injure the animal, and being hit by him can injure passengers. During an accident, if a window breaks or a door comes open, a frightened or injured pet might run away. To protect all the passengers in a vehicle, like us humans, pets should always be secured in and to the car.

A crate may be the best way to transport some pets; I use them with my cats. If properly trained and used, a crate can offer familiar surroundings and a secure space. Be sure to secure the crate to your vehicle! An unsecured crate can suddenly shift during an emergency maneuver or an accident. This could cause injury to your pet, as well as, you or other passengers. Also, keep the temperature inside the crate in mind; try not to put it on the side of the car that will get the most direct sun.

For my dog and clients, I use a harness attached to a short strap, which is secured to a seatbelt or into a seatbelt receptacle. The strap should be just long enough to allow the dog, or cat, to sit, lie down, or look out of the window, but long enough for him to fall off the seat during a quick stop. There are several varieties and sizes of car safety harnesses available too.

It’s important to use a harness, not his collar, to secure your pet. In an accident your dog’s body weight, suddenly putting pressure on his collar, could cause serious throat, neck, or spine injury.

For small dogs, or car friendly cats, there are also car seats for pets. They allow smaller pets to be high enough to see out of windows comfortably and safely. Always secure a pet car seat to the car with straps that fit around the back your car’s seat. Then attach your pet’s harness to his car seat.

More car safety tips for pets:

• Don't leave your dog locked in the car. The inside of a car, even with the windows opened, can heat up extremely fast. When it’s 85 degrees outside, your car can heat up to 102 degrees in just ten minutes, and to 120 degrees in thirty minutes… When it’s only 72 degrees outside, your car can heat up to 116 degrees in one hour, with the windows cracked.
• Be aware of the temperature where your pet is positioned in the car, especially inside a crate. If necessary, open a window, adjust the air conditioning, or move the pet to prevent overheating and/or dehydration. Direct sun might adversely affect pets, even when the car is moving and the air is cooler; you might think about installing sunshades on the side windows.
• While dogs may love the feeling of the wind in his their faces, when he hangs his head out of an open window, your dog could suffer eye damage, or even head injury, from flying road debris.
• Train your dog to wait until you tell him to enter and exit a car. This not only teaches him self-control, it also prevents him from happily bounding out of a car and into traffic.