Safety of our Dogs (1 Viewer)

PP Bear

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Just wondered how many dog owners use a safety harness when their dogs travel in the car, or believe quite wrongly that a dog guard would be sufficient to prevent a dog flying forward in a vehicle should there be a head on impact, or that they'd be safe on the back seat:Eeek:

Most of us are now too old to have little kids as they're all grown up and moved on, but we do have grandchildren and we wouldn't dream of letting them travel in the back of the car without some form of restraint, but seems that we'll be happy to allow our dogs to do it, although they're just like our kiddies and family too:Smile:

I only raise this as my friend allows her dog to run free when inside of her car while she's travelling. When I questioned her she said she couldn't control the dog as it was too excited while out travelling. I even witnessed her pushing the dog from her lap, while travelling on the motorway!!! I soon had the dog under control and belted in the back with the rear seatbelt through her harness at the next service station. The dog complained for the entire journey, but as much as I'm a dog lover, they need to be trained and do as they're instructed, after all we know best and have their safety at heart. I then showed her the clips from YouTube ref crash testing at 30mph and how a dog becomes a missile in the event of a crash, causing injury or death to the dog and the same potential risks to the people in the front. After we watched the clips we popped onto eBay and brought the following restraint. Not the best and not the one I wanted to get, but a compromise as the dog now has to stay put on the back seat, but still not the best for the dog should it come to a collision. Sobering thoughts, but worth mentioning. I know it'll never happen to "us", but what if it did, gulp:whatthe:

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http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Ts4sMQA4zqA
 
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TheBig1

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we travel with 3 dogs, all of which wear a harness clipped to the seat belt for their safety and ours.

your friend needs to be made aware of the law requiring all animals to be restrained and under control in a moving vehicle
 

lilac lill

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My two are strapped in by car harnesses to the seat belt, one of the major considerations when also purchasing my van, was how the dogs would travel safely and securely... a lot of the layouts that I have seen would be useless for dogs - well, my dogs anyway.

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Our dog travels in a cage in the car. A police acquaintance once remarked how sensible this was having witnessed an accident where a dog ran free from a crashed car and caused another accident.
 

Jaws

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Yes, I keep my dog strapped in.. I think I would get nicked if I let woman ride without a seatbelt
 
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PP Bear

PP Bear

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we travel with 3 dogs, all of which wear a harness clipped to the seat belt for their safety and ours.

your friend needs to be made aware of the law requiring all animals to be restrained and under control in a moving vehicle

That's just it, there isn't a law just yet, I can't find anything that states its law to restrain a dog while in a car. You'll all rush to google it now and hope you have better luck than I did. Fully agree with the people who say my friend should know better....my exact statement to her as well and she does use one now, but only after watching the crashtest videos. The silly billy said then that I should show her the law that states she must restrain the dog, but like I said, I couldn't find one, but YouTube did the trick:thumb::thumb:

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TheBig1

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Highway Code: Rule 57 – Dogs and Travelling in cars.
“When in a vehicle, make sure that dogs and other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you or them if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog crate, dog car seat or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.”
 

GJH

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Yes, it is the case that there is no specific law but there doesn't have to be.
Rule 57 of the Highway Code states:
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. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.

People can't be prosecuted for failure to comply with the rules of The Highway Code which are not legal requirements but The Highway Code may be used in evidence in any court proceedings under the Traffic Acts to establish liability. So, if a driver committed an offence as a result of distraction by an unrestrained animal then the failure to comply with Rule 57 would be an added factor.

EDIT: BigOne posted whilst I was composing :Smile:
 
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Madwife

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We have four dogs and never travel in the car or MH without them being restrained. In the car they are all in cages and in the MH two are in cages and the other two on harnesses clipped to the seat belts. They are far too precious to us and we make sure that they are safe.

Kath and Howie

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PP Bear

PP Bear

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Highway Code: Rule 57 – Dogs and Travelling in cars.
“When in a vehicle, make sure that dogs and other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you or them if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog crate, dog car seat or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.”


Don't shoot me down on this as I'm right up there with you, BUT, there is no law as yet, just a rule and, while it can be taken into consideration after an accident etc, it's not law. Looks like they'll be bring one in soon, but not soon enough for my liking. I've just read that literally hundreds of dogs go missing post an accident and very few are united with owners after it occurs. That must be heartbreaking for people and so distressing for the animal too, but the owners should have known better in the first place. I still see people in the passenger seat with their dogs on their laps in their cars, utter madness:Doh:

Would be interesting to know if any of these people that had an accident and the dog got injured or escaped, ever got prosecuted under rule 57 and if it could be proven, post accident. This is one time that our Euromasters need to step in and make it law. They way we'll have recognised restraints with the kite mark fitted stating its to whichever standard is applied in the UK and then the correct processes will be given for carrying our four legged loved ones safely on the highways:thumb:
 

vwalan

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kite marks went out years ago . keep up to date .
there was a british standard kite mark . but only a low standard .
 

TheBig1

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you would expect the animal welfare act 2006 would be breached following a failure in duty of care, however its not clear. however if a dog is unrestrained and disturbs the driver, that is at best carrying an unsafe load and at worst driving without due care.

it really is a legal can of worms, but the onus and responsibility lies with the driver of the vehicle. if a collision occurred because the dog disturbed the driver resulting in somebody being killed, that would end with a substantial prison sentence.

ultimately its common sense to restrain animals in transit for the safety of everyone animals included

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tobytenblue

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Dog Restraint

I travel a lot with my dog (a staffy) and she generally occupies the front passenger seat in my car and my van. I use a short lead affair in conjunction with a harness that I purchased from my local pet shop. It is a purpose made device designed to work in conjunction with the seat belt (not just clipped to the buckle). It cost me about £16.00 for the terrier size (I just hope its never tested for real in any of my vehicles) and seems to be just the job. My dog is quite used to wearing it and it does allow her a degree of movement i.e. shifting position during a long journey. Wouldn't be without one now. :thumb:
 
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Storm sits on the back bench seat in the motorhome and is restrained by a travel harness. She looks quite funny sitting there looking out the window!

Wouldn't dream of travelling in the motorhome without having her restrained, but have got out of the habit of doing so in the car. :Blush: Will go and find another harness and pop it in the car.

Thanks for the heads up and the warning!

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Both ours are caged , fabric collapsible one in the motorhome and a metal rigid one in the cars.:thumb:
 

Daveo2006

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Is the cage fixed to the motorhome in some way or another?

The reason i ask is if a cage of any sort is not secured then this itself becomes a missile which could cause even more damage.I will put my hands up and tell you all that i am guilty of letting my dogs sit freely on the bench seats but have however been talking of getting restraints for them.This thread has made me feel i should do it sooner rather than later and i will have sorted something before my next outing.As we picked one of my Sons up from uni today its the 1st time the belts on the bench seat have been used and i did notice (with the dog restraints in mind i might add) that one of the belt receptacles was on the aisle side.What do any of you do to stop them falling off the seat and not being able to get back up? I can just see one of them now hanging rather awkwardly of the side of the seat.( We have 2 scotties).

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TheBig1

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my dogs stay on the floor in transit. 1 clipped to the aisle side seatbelt buckle and the other 2 connected to a double buckle bolted to the floor. i picked the double up from ebay, but any breakers yard will have one for very little cost

i have been thinking about changing my setup by bolting in 2 ring shackles along the length of the long settee (on the floor). between these i will fit a tight chain with big links. this will then allow me to clip the dogs harnesses in with more separation so they don't get tangled up. i could then carry passengers in the rear belted seats
 
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PP Bear

PP Bear

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:Smile:Taking this just one step further, how many of us travel with a big toolbox, tools and loose shopping in the car, in the belief that the rear seats will hold them safely in place. A quick search through YouTube again and it raises some shocking statistics and facts about kinetic energy

I’m no scientist, just want us all to be safe in the event of a crash, pure and simple and to be around for future meetings

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1jj4NAzfHQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1jj4NAzfHQ[/ame]

One for all the self builds too

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgI-6ic7jpE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgI-6ic7jpE[/ame]
 

TheBig1

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i know of more than 1 person who leave all sorts of items on the worktop spaces in their van whilst travelling. the worst thing i have seen unsecure is a knife block and razor sharp kitchen knifes. i asked the couple in question if they were aware what would happen in an accident. their answer was "been travelling like that for years and never had an accident". i would rather walk than travel in that deathtrap :Eeek:

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rainbow chasers

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Ours gets back seat belted on shorter journeys, and caged for longer ones. They are far safer there, not only for distraction - but if you do have an accident, they have less distance to travel - especially in a cage.

You would be amazed at how many people really are against securing their animals in transit. I had one enquire for hire who had a dog, when asked him if her preferred belt restraints or a cage for his dog, he went mental! Needless to say he never hired!
 
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The reason i ask is if a cage of any sort is not secured then this itself becomes a missile which could cause even more damage.I will put my hands up and tell you all that i am guilty of letting my dogs sit freely on the bench seats but have however been talking of getting restraints for them.This thread has made me feel i should do it sooner rather than later and i will have sorted something before my next outing.As we picked one of my Sons up from uni today its the 1st time the belts on the bench seat have been used and i did notice (with the dog restraints in mind i might add) that one of the belt receptacles was on the aisle side.What do any of you do to stop them falling off the seat and not being able to get back up? I can just see one of them now hanging rather awkwardly of the side of the seat.( We have 2 scotties).

Our bunks run side on , the cage is on the bottom bunk . Behind the fridge . So it cant go forward in a rear shunt . With the " fall out of bed " net up . We originally thought if we took the net off the top bunk and fixed it to the bottom one , that would keep the dogs on the bottom bunk in their beds. :Doh:
If course it didnt.:Smile: But it would stop the cage falling off sidewards.
Depending on how bad the van would be rear shunted the dogs should be OK. They are past the rear wheels nearer the centre of the van.
 

Geo

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I let mine Drive he can take the rap:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

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treetops1

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Our dogs are seat belted in on the rear bench seat in the car. In the motorhome ,because they can slip of the side off the seat when belted in, we put them in the cage and the cage is belted in .In case of an accident this avoids the dogs nuts wrapped round the back of my head .lol.:thumb:
 

Ridgeway

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Slightly OT but i remember a thread on another forum where someone was seriously injured by a removable tow hook that wasn't secured correctly.

I don't like the sink top cutting boards that would become Oddjobs killer Frisbee in an accident.

Regarding the dogs, think I'll get a long haired Chihuahua and some velcro next time
 

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