Dogs in motorhomes

[aztecannie]

Those of you who travel with dogs, how do you secure them whilst travelling? Don’t want to uses cage.

 

[xsparks]

Harness and seatbelt attachment.

 

[Nirvanauk]

Harness.

 

[Carolyn and Kev]

Cage and harness. Belt supporting the cage as it would if a big bloke was sitting with us! Belt and braces approach.

Kev and carolyn

 

[aztecannie]

Thanks for that . What sort of harness and attached to what? Our motorhome has only 2 belted seats.

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[EuroTrotters]

I have seen them towed behind in a Trailer!

 

[DaveandJen]

We keep our Border Collie restrained when driving with a similar item as in the link below fitted to the rear seat belts. The lead is then fitted to our dogs harness and received the thumbs up during a police safety advisory check carried out on our van when parked up in the motorway services about 18 months ago. I recently posted this on the thread called dogs.

Amazon product ASIN B078836Z17
If no rear seatbelts are fitted the seatbelt part of the lead can easily be mounted to a firm fixing such as the floor.

 

[laurieash]

Belts needed in Europe

 

[lindyloot]

A seat belt attatchment that clips to a harness, you can get them at Pets at Home

 

[Landy Andy]

I don’t. I tell him to get in his bed.

Now awaiting the comments.

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[Dognewf]

free running and training to lie down

 

[Reallyretired]

Ours have a harness each attached to the rear seat belts, but as the op has no rear seat belts it should be possible to fit an extra buckle bolted through the floor without too much difficulty.
Can be fined if they're loose, not to mention the dangers in an accident.

 

[Cal54]

I have a restrain strap that wraps round the headrest in the rear
and clips to the dogs harness. I also have one that clips into the seatbelt housing, but for some reason the later doesn’t fit my cars seatbelt. Hence both sorts.

 

[Shrimp]

Our dog gets in her bed behind my passenger seat and stays there until we stop, even then I have to tell her she can move and it’s all her own doing, never trained her to do it!

 

[aztecannie]

I thought it was illegal to have the dod(s) loose in case of an accident?

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[Mark and Mindy]

Our new van will have 2 D rings fitted so we can clip the dog harnesses to them and then a dog bed for comfortable travelling, they'll be between the single belted seat behind the passenger seat and the settee on the other side.

 

[1881TB]

One dog in the passenger footwell, the other in his bed behind our seats. I'm happy with my arrangements...but I'd be interested to see any stats on dogs in accidents - restrained v unrestrained, injuries to people/dogs etc. and links to any legislation.

 

[xsparks]

The first time you are fined you will realise that each country has regulations regarding the restriction on dog movement in the event of an accident. In this country I think in the worse case you can lose your licence.

 

[Kevan]

Be interesting to here from all you Funsters who have been fined? my dog just gets in her bed and does not move till we stop.

 

[Sundowners]

We read recently, that if your dog is not restrained and you are injured after an accident, ambulance crew do not have to attend to you in case your dog attacks them. Also your dog may panic and run off in an accident situation.

Ours is attached by his lead to the seat belt mounting.

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[Southdowners]

One dog in the passenger footwell, the other in his bed behind our seats. I'm happy with my arrangements...but I'd be interested to see any stats on dogs in accidents - restrained v unrestrained, injuries to people/dogs etc. and links to any legislation.

Ours has his own window seat. He's happy to lie there and we don't use restraints.

I too would be interested in seeing links the laws and legislation referred to by folk in this thread

 

[pandas]

One dog in the passenger footwell, the other in his bed behind our seats. I'm happy with my arrangements...but I'd be interested to see any stats on dogs in accidents - restrained v unrestrained, injuries to people/dogs etc. and links to any legislation.

September 08, 2016
How do you travel with your dog? According to our research, more than a quarter of owners fail to adequately secure their pets before setting off on a car journey.

We also spoke to a number of vets, and 22% revealed that travelling without proper restraint was the main cause of injury or death to dogs inside cars involved in a crash.

They also recalled some shocking restraints being used, including chains around the neck.

Driving with dogs requires careful planning. So if you’re unsure of the best ways to keep them safe when travelling, here’s a guide to cover the basics...

The law and driving with dogs in cars
If you’re not familiar with Rule 57 of the Highway Code, now’s the time to brush up. It states that drivers are responsible for making sure dogs (or other animals) are suitably restrained in a vehicle so they can’t distract or injure you - or themselves - during an emergency stop.

There’s a good reason for this. A 32kg dog, such as a Labrador, will be thrown forward in a 30mph crash with such sheer force that it would weigh the equivalent of 100kg – a phenomenon safety experts call ‘canine cannonball’.

What’s a suitable restraint for dogs in cars?
Unfortunately, vets have witnessed a number of dangerous restraints being used by some owners, including passengers simply holding the animal on their lap, putting them in a cardboard box and even putting a chain or rope around its neck.

And vets agree with the Highway Code, which states a seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are the appropriate ways of restraining animals in cars.

Often, dog owners will allow smaller pups to travel in the cabin area of their car. In this case, it’s essential to use a harness. These fit around the dog’s chest and then attach to a seatbelt.

This prevents dogs wandering around dangerously and it keeps them secure under heavy braking or in a crash. Prices for reputable brands start from less than £10.

Certain cars, such as estates and SUVs (4x4s) may have built-in luggage guards. However, these aren’t always robust enough to contain an animal in the event of an accident. The vehicle manufacturer or any number of aftermarket specialists will be able to supply steel animal guards, which divide the boot area from the cabin. Prices start from about £30 for universal products.

Another option is to make your pets comfortable in a cage. These come in a wide range of sizes, fold away when not in use, and cost from £10.

Don’t let dogs hang their head out of the window
Parents wouldn’t let their children hang their heads out of a car window for the simple reason that accidents happen. So, why let a dog do it? It’s a danger to them, you, and is a distraction to other drivers.

 

[SnJ]

curled up in a ball, asleep on the floor.
ours have never been allowed on the furniture so don't get on...

 

[1881TB]

September 08, 2016
How do you travel with your dog? According to our research, more than a quarter of owners fail to adequately secure their pets before setting off on a car journey.

We also spoke to a number of vets, and 22% revealed that travelling without proper restraint was the main cause of injury or death to dogs inside cars involved in a crash.

They also recalled some shocking restraints being used, including chains around the neck.

Driving with dogs requires careful planning. So if you’re unsure of the best ways to keep them safe when travelling, here’s a guide to cover the basics...

The law and driving with dogs in cars
If you’re not familiar with Rule 57 of the Highway Code, now’s the time to brush up. It states that drivers are responsible for making sure dogs (or other animals) are suitably restrained in a vehicle so they can’t distract or injure you - or themselves - during an emergency stop.

There’s a good reason for this. A 32kg dog, such as a Labrador, will be thrown forward in a 30mph crash with such sheer force that it would weigh the equivalent of 100kg – a phenomenon safety experts call ‘canine cannonball’.

What’s a suitable restraint for dogs in cars?
Unfortunately, vets have witnessed a number of dangerous restraints being used by some owners, including passengers simply holding the animal on their lap, putting them in a cardboard box and even putting a chain or rope around its neck.

And vets agree with the Highway Code, which states a seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are the appropriate ways of restraining animals in cars.

Often, dog owners will allow smaller pups to travel in the cabin area of their car. In this case, it’s essential to use a harness. These fit around the dog’s chest and then attach to a seatbelt.

This prevents dogs wandering around dangerously and it keeps them secure under heavy braking or in a crash. Prices for reputable brands start from less than £10.

Certain cars, such as estates and SUVs (4x4s) may have built-in luggage guards. However, these aren’t always robust enough to contain an animal in the event of an accident. The vehicle manufacturer or any number of aftermarket specialists will be able to supply steel animal guards, which divide the boot area from the cabin. Prices start from about £30 for universal products.

Another option is to make your pets comfortable in a cage. These come in a wide range of sizes, fold away when not in use, and cost from £10.

Don’t let dogs hang their head out of the window
Parents wouldn’t let their children hang their heads out of a car window for the simple reason that accidents happen. So, why let a dog do it? It’s a danger to them, you, and is a distraction to other drivers.

Fair enough, but the Highway Code isn't law. I'm genuinely interested, not just trying to score points..

 

[Southdowners]

Its interesting that websites citing the death and injury to dogs are those selling harnesses, etc!

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[Reallyretired]

As far as I've been able to find out there is no specific law relating to this A fine or points would be for careless driving max £5,000.

 

[2x2camper]

Don't know about any law but driving down a French motorway about 10 years ago there was an accident on the other cariage way. When one of the cars came to a halt on its side with the windows broken two dogs jumped out of the car and proceeded to run around the carriage way.

 

[pandas]

Its interesting that websites citing the death and injury to dogs are those selling harnesses, etc!

Some are obsessed by ‘is it or is it not against the law’ criteria and it seems if they are going to get fined or not. The real point is do you want a missile hitting you on the back of your head, or a distraction whilst driving, or to injure your beloved pet?

 

[Gellyneck]

For those who don't restrain their pet in their car \ motorhome I'd hate to even think about, never mind witness, where the animal would end up under emergency braking \ a serious crash. Newton's Third Law of Motion comes into play, eg hit a stationery object at 50mph what does your pet hit at 50mph?
Each owners own responsibility \ conscience but our pet means an awful lot more to us than the cost of appropriate restraint to try as best as we can to minimise any injury to him.

 

[Chas17]

curled up in a ball, asleep on the floor.
ours have never been allowed on the furniture so don't get on...

I have a removable physical (MDF) barrier between the cab and the habitation area. My lab curls up on the floor behind this barrier when on the move and stirs only when I pull in somewhere. We have managed this way for over 7 years now and I consider her to be suitably restrained

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