Travelling with Pets (2 Viewers)

[jonandshell]

Has anyone considered that looking where you are going and NOT crashing is the best solution to this subject?

 

[Mike B]

Simples

 

[TheBig1]

Has anyone considered that looking where you are going and NOT crashing is the best solution to this subject?

I tend to watch the traffic as i was taught to be aware of other drivers. however what about the absolutely unpredictable, like the car in front of you clipping a motorbike, who then comes flying into your path reducing your allowance for braking distance. first reflex response is to brake hard and try to avoid a collision. the dog, who was fast asleep is now being thrown around the van getting injured. just a little prevention like a seatbelt might have saved the dogs life. but it wasnt your fault of course, being an excellent driver

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[Allanm]

As I said before, our dogs lie and sleep between the front seats so the likelihood of them causing us any injury in a frontal collision is very low. The damage to them either wearing a harness or not, would be a different thing. Even an adult with a proper adult seatbelt on, in any serious collision is going to cause injury to some extent.
I agree with others, it's all about keeping everyone as safe as possible, that includes defensive driving.
If there are laws in France stating that dogs should be restrained in a vehicle, then I guess our easiest option is to attach harnesses to the seat belt anchor points on our seats, (we don't have rear seats) and ensure the dogs are wearing them.
I still worry about the cooker and fridge though.............

Allan

 

[jonandshell]

Lets not kid ourselves, coachbuilt motorhomes literally explode and disintegrate upon impact.
All this theoretical discussion about tethering this, caging that will all go out of the window (literally! ) in the event of a serious collision.
I doubt anything held together with woodscrews is capable of earning even one Euro NCAP star!
As previously mentioned, the only way to guarantee the safety of pets, kids and you is not to crash in the first place!
There is little point in securing anything to anything other than manufacturer fitted and approved seatbelt mounting points, in turn secured to the base vehicle's chassis by bloody great big nuts and bolts.:thumb:

 

[yodeli]

Surprisingly, The Highway Code only gives advice...

Rules about animals (47 to 58)

57
When in a vehicle[HI] make sure [/HI]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. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.

In France and Spain it is illegal to have unsecured animals traveling in a vehicle, they must be behind a dog guard, caged or secured. Haven't checked but probably the same for the rest of the EU. (except the UK)

Common sense dictates that having a an unsecured animal in a vehicle is dangerous.. but since when was common sense ever.. common.

Sorry Jim , but no, there is no law about animals in France. If someone told you so, well I'd like to see to which rule he referred.
What law says is that all conductors must not put themselves and passengers in danger by not mastering anything in the vehicle.
It says as well ALL passengers must be belted but then doesn't precise what if the said passenger is an animal.
It doesn't say anything either if your grey card says 4 people and because of its old age , your vehicle has only 2 security belts! It's the case for my motorhome , just been declared for 4 people and 2 passengers can't be secured as there's no belt. The law says: the passengers-to be must be aware of the risk they're taking and the owner must insist on the fact they won't be in a safe position. ....And that's all!

Just looked on the internet to make sure as I had never heard of this before and this is whet the French "prévention routière" says

Broken Link Removed

Roughly saying no law, but of course better to think about it and try to have them properly strapped in some security belt, or behind a net...etc...

It's about all.....

I guess we all have to think for our own security and the one of our passengers , who/what ever they can be!


Amicalement

Frankie

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[Allanm]

Heard a rumour that seat belts are going to fitted on motorcycles soon!
Allan

 

[TheBig1]

Heard a rumour that seat belts are going to fitted on motorcycles soon!
Allan

seeing some of the fat old buggers riding bikes these days, they appear to come with a passenger airbag already

 

[Yorick]

seeing some of the fat old buggers riding bikes these days, they appear to come with a passenger airbag already

My beer belly may look like an airbag, but it's actually an anti-wheelie device

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[daisy mae]

I can have four passengers in the rear, I don`t have any rear seat belts, it is on my insurance certificate.

I cannot get a cage in my MH that will fit my dog, a Beardied Collie, I tried her in a harness on the front passenger seat as that is the only seat belt I have apart from the drivers, she slipped off the seat, due to so much movement in the belt, I have waterproof covers on the cab seats, as the seat belt pulled out so far before they stopped, so that wasn`t on, she is in the back, doesn`t move around and soons falls asleep as soon as we are off.

 

[durhamahoy]

Ours go on the roof, SWMBO anchors them to the TV aerial, well rope and round turn & two half hitches seems to work okay, not lost one yet under emergency braking whilst distracted waving at other motorhomers with their skylights open

 

[jhorsf]

Mine always wears a seat belt when driving

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[MrsBB]

Our dog wears a harness which fastens to the seat beat. However he manages to climb down and get into all sorts of tangles! Even let him ride shotgun strapped into front seat belt but he's not really settled there ...... Can't map read either . Tried a metal cage and he sulked all way to Spain! Tried a cloth cage and he learned to roll it over ...... Now changed van and he is tied to table leg. Can just sit near enough us to be stroked ..... Needs human contact. All in all he's a nightmare travelling . His crying is distracting to say the least!
Has anyone ever used mild sedatives/ calmers to help their dog travel. It would be a reluctant move but would it be better for him in long run.

 

[ourcampersbeentrashed]

In Waltham Forest if caught with dogs unrestrained in the front passenger seat you could get fined £80

 

[timdownieuk]

Our dog wears a harness which fastens to the seat beat. However he manages to climb down and get into all sorts of tangles! Even let him ride shotgun strapped into front seat belt but he's not really settled there ...... Can't map read either . Tried a metal cage and he sulked all way to Spain! Tried a cloth cage and he learned to roll it over ...... Now changed van and he is tied to table leg. Can just sit near enough us to be stroked ..... Needs human contact. All in all he's a nightmare travelling . His crying is distracting to say the least!
Has anyone ever used mild sedatives/ calmers to help their dog travel. It would be a reluctant move but would it be better for him in long run.

Ours just wander freely. They love the van. Honestly, in a motorhome the risks are tiny compared to so many other things that could happen.

Sounds to me like you're making your dog's and your own lives a misery by your worries.

Tim

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[tonyidle]

An unrestrained dog in a moving vehicle is a killer missile waiting to be fired. Our two are always secured by harness and chain behind the driver and passenger seat.
I have seen dogs on the dashboard and cringe. There should be a law against unrestrained animals in an open vehicle.

Of course there should. And others to ensure that all loose objects and noisy, distracting, children are confined to the boot and that motorcycles and fibreglass three-wheelers are only driven on private land.

A (small) dog asleep on the dashboard is probably in the safest place in the vehicle. And when awake it will have the furry dice & nodding companion to play with.

 

[timdownieuk]

Our dog not stressing out in the van.

 

[MrsBB]

Ours just wander freely. They love the van. Honestly, in a motorhome the risks are tiny compared to so many other things that could happen.

Sounds to me like you're making your dog's and your own lives a misery by your worries.

Tim

Unfortunately he tried to get on brake pedal on motorway ...... Just likes to be by my feet! Not advisable.

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[timdownieuk]

Unfortunately he tried to get on brake pedal on motorway ...... Just likes to be by my feet! Not advisable.

Yeah, ours occasionally tries that but it's not hard with two people in the van to stop that.

 

[PP Bear]

Have just come off another Motorhome and Camping forum where the discussion was about how people travel with their dogs in a motorhome. I appear to have created some lively discussion and fortunately a change of attitude in some of the actions that people were taking with regard to securing their pets on a journey. I would be interested in any Funster feedback as to what measures people take to ensure their dogs etc are safe when travelling. The sorts of things coming up were, dogs on passengers lap, unsecured, dogs on their blanket, rear lounge area, unsecured. Dogs in the front passenger footwell, unsecured, virtually everyone missing the point.:Sad:

Another forum!!! See that's what you get when you stray too far from the nest and into the big bad world of other forums

No sense of humour out there in the world

 

[Don Quixote]

What it boils down to is this: I it was a child that you love with all your heart you would make sure that it was secured enough so that it would not get hurt...... The same thing applies to the pet that you love with all your heart - why oh why would you not secure it during the journey - you would not allow a child to run around the MH whilst on the move.
We do not have a dog, but do take two cats with us everywhere we go and they are caged up during travel secure and save.

You would never forgive yourself, if the worst thing in the world happened and you were involved in an accident and your best mate in life was injured costing it a leg or major surgery or worst case killed...... sad but true............

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[kcy]

The old motor home had a big garage with widow and Steve devided it in half so the dogs have their own room.They are relaxed and secure. I'm pleased to say that the soon to be new one has the same setup.

 

[Minxy]

The old motor home had a big garage with widow and Steve devided it in half so the dogs have their own room.They are relaxed and secure. I'm pleased to say that the soon to be new one has the same setup.

I can't think of a WORSE place for pets to travel than in a garage at the rear of a MH ... if someone hits you up the rear the dogs will have had it!

 

[kcy]

Shit happens unfortunately. An unsecured dog could fly through the window or take your head off on the way.

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[Reallyretired]

The old motor home had a big garage with widow and Steve devided it in half so the dogs have their own room.They are relaxed and secure. I'm pleased to say that the soon to be new one has the same setup.

Did you take the widow out first

 

[kcy]

Oh thank you really retired that is so funny, didn't see my mistake will be laughing for ever over that

 

[Minxy]

Romy (the big one) usually travels under the dinette table in her bed, or on the dinette seat itself, Tazzy (little white one) sometimes lays with Romy, or is on my knee , or actually likes to go on the rear bed for a snuggle; Lily usually goes in her bed in the cab pushed up against the central console between the seats or occasionally on my knee.

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[tonyidle]

The old motor home had a big garage with widow and Steve devided it in half so the dogs have their own room.They are relaxed and secure. I'm pleased to say that the soon to be new one has the same setup.

I assume the other half is for the widow. Steve is a lucky man