Car Safety Equipment?

[natsan6]

Looking for input on car safety equipment. Jagger love love loves to go for rides in the car. I know I haven't been doing it in the safest possible way and we have a pretty long road trip coming up and would love to hear your advice and suggestions. Thank you

 

[ruthcatrin]

My car isn't big enough to hold a crate that Apollo would fit in (Dodge Caliber), much less a 2nd crate for Arty. Plus Apollo gets carsick if he rides sideways on the bench seat. We got a pet barrier to keep them from climbing into the front, fold down the back seats, and got a zipline restraint that attaches to the rear of the trunk area. Its not perfect, in a side impact or a rollover it wouldn't help. But in a front or rear impact it would, and it keeps them from trying to climb out windows and the like. Our next car is going to be bigger...

 

[ravendarat]

Ive been wondering this same thing. My vehicle IS big enough that I can use a crate, even when he's full sized but if there was a way to have him safely in the centre section of the vehicle than I would prefer that but I just don't think those pet barriers are gonna do much in an accident if he was full grown. Maybe one of those seat belt restraints? But can they move around enough with one of those on to get comfy?

 

[ruthcatrin]

Ravendarat, depends on the restraint system. Some have longer straps than others, some are very short and I'm not even sure a large dog could sit up. Donno how much weight the barrier would stop, but it would HELP with the addition of something else.

 

[natsan6]

I drive a 07 suburban so I can also get a crate in the back but he will fuss if he can't get close to someone. I will make him suck it up the whole trip if I have to but I would love an alternative.... The zip line would be an option for sure, he rides in the seat most of the time......oh hell, who am I kidding ALL of the time lol...how else can he attack the wind that is coming in the window?

 

[ravendarat]

I drive a 07 suburban so I can also get a crate in the back but he will fuss if he can't get close to someone. I will make him suck it up the whole trip if I have to but I would love an alternative.... The zip line would be an option for sure, he rides in the seat most of the time......oh hell, who am I kidding ALL of the time lol...how else can he attack the wind that is coming in the window?

Ya I am in the same spot, I have a 03 Escalade ESV so its the same chassis as a suburban from that same year. its not that I can't fit a full sized crate, its that I would like to explore alternatives if they safely exist.

 

[ruby55]

I drive a full size van, so there's always a crate strapped to the back of the driver's seat. Ruby loves to go places; hates the car. So she's in it all the time. But I want to downsize to at least a small SUV, would prefer a sedan. So I need restraints for 3 bullmastiffs. Thinking of safety harnesses; but I don't have a clue where to start.

 

[ruthcatrin]

They're hard to find in big dog sizes. I've a ton of two inch heavy duty webbing, keep thinking of trying my hand at making my own. Maybe someday....

 

[ruby55]

I found this link to a site called Center for Pet Safety. They have been testing car safety equipment for dogs; their results are not very encouraging. Even the harnesses that have supposedly been tested failed. The harnesses may keep the dog from becoming a missile in a front end crash; but the dog might not survive. There are slow motion videos of 4 different harnesses, with a canine crash test dummy. WARNING: This dummy looks very much like a live boxer; don't let your kids watch. It might be a little unnerving for them. I know it was for me.

http://centerforpetsafety.org/research/

BTW their facebook site says the crashes were conducted at 30 mph, the same speed as child safety restraints.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Didn't go look, but that doesn't actually surprise me, unfortunetly...

 

[ruthcatrin]

Just found this: http://www.dogsupplies.com/products/Brown-And-Tan-Mutt-Gear-Comfort-Dog-Harness.html I do not own one (yet) so I can't comment on quality, but the XL goes up to chest size 50".....