Buckle up! Pets need seat belts, too!

A couple years ago, my neighbor was stopped on a busy road waiting to make a left turn onto our small street when a driver who wasn’t paying attention rear ended her. At the time, her Weimaraner puppy was riding loose in the car and suffered a broken leg and lots of bumps and bruises. In addition to being injured, the puppy was so scared from the accident that she ran off into the woods and remained missing for several days. A lot of the injuries and stress from the accident could have been easily avoided if the puppy had been wearing a seat belt.

Traveling with your pet is like traveling with your small child. You wouldn’t let a toddler roam free in the car while you are driving, and you shouldn’t let your dog do so, either. It’s not uncommon, though, to see large dogs hanging out of car windows or small dogs sitting in their owner’s laps. Even more alarming is when drivers allow their dogs to roam free in the bed of their pick-up trucks. Not only are these dogs easily able to jump out, they are pretty much guaranteed serious injury – if not death - should the driver get into an accident.

Keeping your pets safe in the car begins with physically keeping your pet in the car – no more truck beds! And, just like people, it’s important for our pets to be restrained with seat belts. Seat belts come in all shapes and sizes and range from simple to elaborate. Some are even designed like zip lines so your dog can move freely back and forth on the seat while still safely restrained. Most dog seat belts are worn like a harness and have a loop on the back of them so you can thread the car seat belt through them. Your dog is still able to sit and stand comfortably in their seat, but they will not be able to move freely from one end of the car to the other. Just like the seat belts we wear, your pet’s seat belt will stop them from being thrown forward should you stop suddenly. With that in mind, make sure you never restrain your pet by the collar, which can cause them to break their necks if they are thrown forward.

Dogs love to look out the window but, if you have a small dog, it is often difficult for them to see unless they’re sitting in your lap. Obviously, this is very unsafe and could lead to serious injury for both you and your pet, especially if they’re distracting you while you drive. If you have a very small dog, consider getting them a booster seat. Your pet will still be utilizing a seat belt but, instead of sitting directly on the seat of the car, they will be lifted higher in a bucket-like seat. The booster seat keeps your pet safely confined to their seat while also lifting them high enough to look out the window. As an added bonus, being able to see out the window can help your pet with carsickness.

Nobody plans to have a car accident, but by taking a few precautions, you can help keep your pet safe from injury in the event that an accident does happen. Remember: the next time you get in the car and buckle your seat belt, make sure Fido is wearing his, too!

Alaina Goodnough is the Promotions Coordinator at Cocheco Valley Humane Society in Dover, NH. She lives in Sanford, ME with three parrots, two cats, and two dachshunds. She can be reached at CVHS at devassist@cvhsonline.org