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Dear Daphne: Try using a little restraint
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Anonymous user Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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I’m still thinking of the maroon sedan I saw speeding along on eastbound Highway 178 several days ago. 

I don’t tend to spend a lot of time thinking about cars, but this one left an impression.  Not because of the type of car (which I don’t remember), but because of the passengers. In the front seats there were two women, while in the back there were two large Lab-type dogs. 

The driver of the car had rolled the back window down and one of the dogs had his front paws resting on the window frame, the whole front half of his body visible outside of the window, while the car was going well past 75 mph. 

All I could think during the trip was, "Please don’t let that driver have to swerve to avoid something in the road. Or suddenly have to brake. Or have a tire go out.  Because I don’t want to be the car that hits that dog when he falls out of the window."

You see it every day. I know you do, because I see it every day, and I’m not even trying that hard. It’s because we do see it all the time that product manufacturers have developed ways to keep our dogs safer, even when they’re riding with us. 

Now, before you get all upset thinking this is yet another ploy to get people to further treat their dogs like little children, know that nothing could be further from the truth.  This is about safety. Pet safety, driver safety, passenger safety and the safety of innocent bystanders who don’t want to have to deal with situations caused by careless pet owners.

For dogs in pickup trucks, it’s against the law to have them ride in the back without being restrained. Further, the law requires that the restraint be such that they cannot get their front feet on to the walls of the truck bed, so they can’t fall out. 

The easiest way to accomplish this is to secure your dog in a portable kennel or crate when traveling by truck, and secure the kennel in the bed through the use of straps or bungee cords. 

However, if you don’t have a crate or can’t afford to purchase one, quality restraints designed to keep dogs safely in the middle area of your truck bed can be purchased for under $20 online. 

For dogs riding inside of cars, there are a variety of seat belts, booster seats and seat belts available so that whatever size dog you own, it can be secure and still see outside. Prices on these items start as low as $10. One of my favorites, the Travelin’ Dog Car Harness, sells for between $20-$30, depending on the size of the dog. 

Most of the time dogs riding on the inside of cars don’t directly pose a threat to other drivers on the road (excepting, of course, the dog in the maroon sedan, who was the proverbial straw that broke this doggie’s back). 

They do, however, oftentimes prove a huge threat to the drivers of the car in which they are riding. Drivers get distracted, worrying that the dog might fall off of the seat, or by a dog who’s suddenly bouncing from one side of the back seat to the other.  They can get their steering arm bumped or pulled by a rambunctious dog, or suddenly find their dog’s leg caught up under their legs, impeding their ability to manipulate the gas or brake pedal. 

And, in the event of an accident, a loose dog is like having a 20, 30, 50 or 80 pound projectile missile on the inside of your car. Why risk it, when solving the problem is so easy?

One more thing, then I’ll try my best to get off my soapbox. Dogs, for their own safety, shouldn’t sit in seats that have air bags assigned to them. Air bags, although great for adults, can cause the same type of injuries to dogs as they can to children. So, just like with kids, the back seat’s the best place to be if you’re not tall enough to reach the pedals.

So, I’m asking as nicely as I can. Spend the money. Do it to keep your beloved dog safe. Or to keep you and your family safe when you’re riding with your dog. 

And if either of those aren’t reason enough to move you, do it for me, so I can breathe a little easier when I’m riding behind you on the highway.

Bow-wow for now,

Daphne

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