Heading out for a car ride with your canine companion? You brought yummy dog treats, leash, harness, toys, and your dog of course. The only thing left is to put your car in first gear and get going. But wait! There is one thing that you may have forgotten – to buckle up your dog.
Do dogs need seat belts anyway? I mean, my dog is sitting still in the car and doesn’t cause much ruckus. Why would I have to restrain my dog in the car?
“It doesn’t matter whether or not your dog is calm in the car, what matters is that you are both safe and comfortable” says Iram Sharma, DVM, and owner of PupVine. “And the only way to achieve that is by putting a seat belt on yourself and your dog.”
Whether you’re going for a short drive to the market or on a long car trip, your dog must wear a seat belt.
“There are many ways to restrain your dog during car rides. It is of utmost importance that your dog is safe and comfortable in the backseat.”
Why Dogs Need Seat Belts
Dogs need seat belts for the same reason why we need them – to keep ourselves safe in the car. All dogs, regardless of the breed, need seat belts everytime they get into the car.
It doesn’t even have to be a car accident for your unrestrained dog to get hurt. If your dog is sitting on the passenger seat and you happen to hit the breaks suddenly, there is no doubt that your dog will fly towards the windshield and quite possibly get hurt.
In fact, a research on motor vehicle accidents in urban dogs shows that over 80% of unrestrained dogs suffered skeletal injuries, while over 10% of them ended fatally.
Back in the year 2013, a group of researchers conducted a study on risk factors for driving with pets which revealed that the majority of drivers have bad habits of keeping their dogs in their lap while they are driving.
If not in the lap, the dog is moving freely around the car while the person is driving. With an unrestrained dog in a moving vehicle, the driver is easily distracted.
This is exactly what can lead to a car accident in which both the driver and the dog can get very hurt.
What Are The Dog Seat Belt Laws?
There are laws regarding dog seat belts in many countries across the world.
For example, the United Kingdom issued the Highway Code in which it states that “When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly.”
On the other hand, Australia has the Animal Welfare Act which prohibits a person from transporting a dog in or on a vehicle unless the dog is restrained or enclosed in a way that prevents the dog from falling from the vehicle.
When it comes to the United States, dog seat belt laws vary depending on the state. However, most states recommend that a dog is seated as far from the drives as possible. While your dog can sit restrained on the passenger seat, it is extremely dangerous if a car crash occurs and an airbag pops up. Even though airbags save our lives, they have the potential to seriously hurt our dogs or even kill them.
Due to the fact that irresponsible owners are putting their unrestrained dogs in danger New Jersey is the only state that considers having a pet running loose inside a car to be an animal cruelty offense.
Tips On Keeping Your Dog Safe During Car Rides
It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to taking your dog for a car ride.
Here are some tips that will make car rides with your canine passenger as carefree as possible:
- Choose a harness with seat belt attachments that will keep your dog secure. Make sure that the harness fits your dog perfectly
- Keep your dog from putting its head out the car window – pebbles and branches may cause head and eye injuries
- Put your dog in a comfy crate that is specifically designed for cars
- Secure your small dog in a crash-tested car seat
- Put your large dog in a backseat hammock
By following these tips, both you and your pooch are going to be safe and sound on your road trip.
No matter the tips and even the rules of law, as a conscientious owner you should do your best to prevent your dog from getting hurt by moving freely in the vehicle. Don’t you agree?
