When traveling, would you let your child ride with a seat belt?  If you answered “no,” then why would you put your dog at risk by not securing him in? It’s very distracting when you dog is fumbling around, licking your ear etc. If you stop short or get into an accident, your dog will be a projectile and cause harm to himself and to others.

Before  buying a seat belt for your dog, do your research. Some dog restraints are not safe. The following is an example.

Lindsey A. Wolko, Founder, Center for Pet Safety, had an  experience in 2004. She was driving with her English cocker spaniel, Maggie — secured in her harness attached to a seatbelt in the back seat — when she suddenly needed to break and swerve in order to avoid a collision. The accident was avoided but Maggie sustained injuries to her spine and hip. The harness, in essence, hog-tied the dog from the force of suddenly applying the brakes.

The following information was attained from Care 2.

Testing Results so Far

In 2011, the Center for Pet Safety tested four harnesses via an independent testing laboratory. The same motor vehicle safety standards were applied as are used in testing child safety car seats. A 55 pound test dog — NO live animals are used in testing — was developed because the average size dog in the U.S. is 55 pounds and up. The results were devastating.

Simulating a 30 mile per hour collision, all four harnesses failed! The first one provided too much slack and the test dog was sent crashing into the back of the front seat. The next two harnesses broke and turned the test dog into a projectile. But the fourth was the most surprising. The harness slid up to the test dog’s neck upon impact. “I don’t think that there’s any doubt that those dogs would have been severely injured, if not fatally injured” said Wolko

I believe that dogs secured in a strong carrier that is strapped in will be even more affective in the event of an accident. I always secure my cats in their carrier and fasten the seatbelt around the carrier.

So before purchasing a seat belt and harness for your dog make sure that you do your research!

Remember, your pets count!

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