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Safety on the Road: Pet Auto Travel Safety

Bringing your dog along on car trips can be a great adventure for both you and your pet. However, an unrestrained dog can be dangerous to himself and to you in the event of a crash. If your dog is loose in the car during an accident or if you make a sudden stop, the force of impact may cause your dog to become like a projectile or missile that can injure or kill it and possibly injure anyone in its path inside the car. An unrestrained dog can also pose a distraction to the driver and passengers, and smaller dogs can even get under the gas or brake pedal. Therefore, a proper restraint system for pet travel is a must.

Restraint systems for pet travel

Smaller dogs can be kept in a ventilated portable kennel or carrier. The best location is on the floor in the back seat.

For larger dogs, a padded dog safety harness or a seat belt for pet travel are good options. Dog safety harnesses and dog seat belts attach to the vehicle's seat belt. They are available in different sizes and different styles. One of the most popular is the BatziBelt which attaches to a harness and to your vehicle's back seat belt.

Other Pet Auto Travel Safety Tips:

• Never leave your dog in your vehicle on a warm day, even with the windows cracked. It only takes a short time for a vehicle to heat up, leading to heatstroke, brain damage or death.
  
  
• While dogs seem to love to hang their heads out of the car window, it is not a good idea. Wind can blow debris such as pebbles and sand unto their eyes or nose, causing injury.

A road trip with your dog can be fun for all. Keeping these safety tips in mind will help ensure your well being as well as your dog's and make for a better, more relaxing trip.

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