Travelling with a dog. (1 Viewer)

Maureen and Tony

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Hi All. First timers here having just purchased our first campervan. The van will be used by us and our sons. One son and daughter in law have a dog and they will be travelling with the dog when they go away. Are there any laws relating to how pets travel in campervan?
 

Hollyberry

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Don't think there are laws in U.K. In France dogs must be restrained, either in a crate or by harness into seat belt "lock" ( can't think of the word)
For safety ( humans as well as the dog) they're better off secured in some way so they don't become a "missile" in the event of an accident.
:welcome4:
 
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treetops1

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No but it is much safer to travel with them in a cage ,it will keep the dog safe and they soon get use to it ,it also does keep them safer if you have to jam on the brakes lol. .Welcome to motorhome fun enjoy.:drinks:

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Maureen and Tony

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Thanks Hollyberry. You're right. I hadn't thought of the dog as a missile. You wouldn't want a German Sheppard landing on your head in the event of an accident. (n) Good advice. x
 
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TheBig1

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A cage for a gsd needs to be huge. better to fit a harness and a strap or chain that is well secured, possibly using rear seat belt

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Zigisla

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Mine travel on the bottom transverse bunk bed. They both wear a body harness which has a seat belt connector to it and the other end attached to a running line so they can move around up and down the bed, but not fall off the side.
 
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Deleted member 29692

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Ours travel between the front seats in harnesses connected to the seatbelts

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MC 55 FUN

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:hiya2: & :welcome3: . . our dog has a body harness which connects securely to the designated seating with seatbelts on the half dinette behind the cab.
 
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jonandshell

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How do you folks who secure your dogs get your dogs to do their share of the driving if they only travel in a cage?
20141118_130902.jpg
 
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Mar 16, 2016
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Rule 58 of the Highway Code deals with travelling with pets and 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.”

Potential Offences

Whilst breaching the Highway Code is not necessarily an offence in itself, there are a number of offences that could potentially arise as result of driving with an unrestrained pet. A motorist could be considered to be driving ‘without due care and attention’ if it was felt that their standard of driving fell below that expected of a competent driver or that they did not show “reasonable” consideration for other road users. There is no definitive list of actions that can amount to careless driving however a distracting unrestrained dog jumping about in a vehicle could definitely be considered to sufficient.

More concerning is the potential for an accident and if that were to arise, the more serious offence of dangerous driving could be applicable. The penalty for dangerous driving is far more severe as the offence attracts not only a custodial sentence but also a mandatory disqualification of at least twelve months.

https://www.themotoringlaw.uk/driving-with-dogs/

Also worth noting that...

Gocompare warns that drivers who don’t restrain dogs and cats while on the move are not just breaking the law, they could also be invalidating their car insurance.

That means if you're in an accident, you could be made to pay for any damage to your car AND any other cars involved, not to mention any medical or other costs resulting - something that could easily add up to a five-figure bill.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/money/dog-seatbelt-car-insurance-rules-5651379

Pete
 
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Langtoftlad

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No offense meant to @Tykatem and of course no-one would want their dogs restrained in the event of an accident but...

...articles like those quoted don't half annoy me!
Someone, or some business takes the actual law and then adds their personal spin, mixes it all up with half truths, extrapolates the absolute possibilities and then claims the result as fact :doh:.

"Gocompare warns that drivers who don’t restrain dogs and cats while on the move are not just breaking the law, they could also be invalidating their car insurance."

No it's not breaking the law per se
 
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Mar 16, 2016
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The metaphoric phrase, "Don't shoot the messenger" springs to mind.
I think you'll agree that most insurance companies don't need much of an excuse from worming their way out of paying out on a claim.

Pete

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roadster55

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Yes in a small van conversion like mine a cage would be out of the question, besides you'd have to secure the cage to stop the whole lot sliding about, especially on certain slidey floors.
 
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Pre motorhome days we travelled a few times down to Spain in a Vito Traveliner which we had fitted out with two kennels on a raised platform above the wheel arches and a further two dog beds in the space where the removed rear row of seats normally locked in. The Traveliner has a double passenger bench alongside the drivers seat thus creating a solid 'barrier' between us and the dogs about 4 ft high with a 3" vertical 'gap' between the driver & passenger seats. This allowed us to rotate the 3 GSD's & 1 labrador between the kennels & beds.
We were driving down a dual carriageway towards Madrid when we were overtaken by two Guardia Civil Trafico motor cycles and a short distance further on we were waved into the side of the road.
Smart click of the heels and salute by Senor Trafico and documents were produced in order. Trafico Numero Dos goes round to the back of the Vito and presses his nose against the back (smoked) window to which Bo, our GSD, decides he is too near and sparks off. The other dogs join in and Trafico almost falls on his derriere.

Further inspections of the interior of the Vito and it is decided that all the dogs should be restrained and the ticket book is produced. My Spanish grovel routine is introduced and we manage to talk him out of the ticket whist allowing Ellie the lab to lick him all over!

Peace restored I tried to explain that the backs of the seats were looked on as a suitable 'restraint' in England. " Ah but Senor, you are not in England now".
Much stroking of dogs later they and us were on our different ways without any further ado. Probably lucky that Senor Trafico One was a dog lover!

All the dogs gone now so we don't have the situation in the MH.

P1010061.JPG


Image shows (l-r) Sky, Elly, Tiff & Bo waiting to go on a trip out from the villa we used to rent in Spain
"Are we going yet?" or " What are we waiting for NOW"?
 
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We have two small cages for our two one behind driver seat strapped to side seat and the other on the floor behind the passengers seat also strapped to seat we find it very useful and safe we can get out of the van without the boys following etc etc so they make life a little easier when travelling. We tried harnesses at first but our boys are doggy houdinis after a few minutes they were out of them.

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mjltigger

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We have a cage by the door (PVC) and they travel in it as well as sleep in it. They may down and go to sleep until we get near our destination then bounce around trying to get a look out of the Windows.

I plan to have something built in for them in our next van but the van will need to be bigget
 
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rosemaryd

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Pre motorhome days we travelled a few times down to Spain in a Vito Traveliner which we had fitted out with two kennels on a raised platform above the wheel arches and a further two dog beds in the space where the removed rear row of seats normally locked in. The Traveliner has a double passenger bench alongside the drivers seat thus creating a solid 'barrier' between us and the dogs about 4 ft high with a 3" vertical 'gap' between the driver & passenger seats. This allowed us to rotate the 3 GSD's & 1 labrador between the kennels & beds.
We were driving down a dual carriageway towards Madrid when we were overtaken by two Guardia Civil Trafico motor cycles and a short distance further on we were waved into the side of the road.
Smart click of the heels and salute by Senor Trafico and documents were produced in order. Trafico Numero Dos goes round to the back of the Vito and presses his nose against the back (smoked) window to which Bo, our GSD, decides he is too near and sparks off. The other dogs join in and Trafico almost falls on his derriere.

Further inspections of the interior of the Vito and it is decided that all the dogs should be restrained and the ticket book is produced. My Spanish grovel routine is introduced and we manage to talk him out of the ticket whist allowing Ellie the lab to lick him all over!

Peace restored I tried to explain that the backs of the seats were looked on as a suitable 'restraint' in England. " Ah but Senor, you are not in England now".
Much stroking of dogs later they and us were on our different ways without any further ado. Probably lucky that Senor Trafico One was a dog lover!

All the dogs gone now so we don't have the situation in the MH.

View attachment 118720

Image shows (l-r) Sky, Elly, Tiff & Bo waiting to go on a trip out from the villa we used to rent in Spain
"Are we going yet?" or " What are we waiting for NOW"?

What lovely dogs! Hope to persuade my hubby to have as many gsds one day!
 
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Kim H

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Ours wear harnesses that are secured to seat belts and travel in their beds with the harnesses attached. There's enough 'give' to allow them to move around in their beds. The beauty of this system is that when we arrive at a destinatition or lunch stop, the dogs are secured when we open the hab door. Also in the event of an accident, they won't end up as missiles or wandering over a motorway.
 

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Minxy

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Romy loves the sofa and Tazzy sometimes joins her ... Lily is usually on my knee or in her 'safe space' pit under the side facing part of the sofa.

Romy and Tazzy.JPG
 
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TerryL

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Our Westie travels in his cage (closed) which in our Bolero sits nicely between the side benches and up against the backs of the front seats. In fact he will not travel anywhere else - you should hear him complain when we're just moving to the service point!

He tends to sleep most of the time and has been known to go for over 4 hours without a problem. AS LONG AS he's had a quick run round before we set off, or else he shouts............

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Rosemary1

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We have two small dogs and we put them into harnesses and then attached them to the passenger seats using two seat belt attachment. If a long journey I make up the seats into the bed so that they can stretch out a little too.
 
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Theonlysue

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Not long enough!
I put my chihuahua in a travel bag that is secured on the floor to the table leg.
I'm also quite mindful of her not being in the sun, one reason for not securing them to the front passenger seat.
 
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Our two border collies travel in harnesses which connect to the seat belt thingies in the back. Cages for anything other than small dogs are a bit impractical in a motorhome though they have them at home, and sleep in them during the day, other arrangements take place at night.

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We are new to Motorhoming too ,our dog travels in a harness connected to the seat belt in the designated seating area...she loves it!!
 
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