You want to travel with your dog, but you´re not sure if seat belts for dogs are a good idea or not. Trust me, it´s a great idea! Loose dogs and cats in carriers can become flying objects in the event of an auto accident. Not only can your pet be mortally injured, but can injure yourself as well or cause you to lose control of the car.
Check out the harnesses available for your dog. There are nice fleece lined ones that you put onto the dog like a harness, then fasten onto the seat belt. You can also seat belt your cat carrier onto the seat, or put it to the floor where it will not become a projectile object.
When belting your pet in, avoid the seat with air bags, as these could actually cause great harm when rapidly inflated. I´ve seen some SUV´s and station wagons with gates between the last seat and rear area. These don´t seem too safe for the dog, but would protect the human passengers from harm.
Tragically, I saw this happen outside my clinic, which is a busy urban street. There was an accident at the intersection, and people in an open Jeep had a young cat in a carrier and a little Brussels griffon in a passenger´s lap. The dog and cat in the carrier were both thrown from the car and even though the dog was rushed right into the clinic and into surgery, he did not survive his injuries because of a lacerated liver and spleen. The cat suffered a broken leg and chest injuries but she survived.
So buckle up those little guys as well, and improve survival chances in an accident.
Sharon E. Anderson, DVM
