[FlDebra]

Let me relay a story that broke our hearts and you decide if you should hold the puppy or put him in a crate for the trip. My son, his wife and two kids were returning home from a visit with us (5 hour drive). They had their toy poodle in a crate, but she wanted some attention and they took her out. She was not used to wearing her harness and leash, so they took that off too and rubbed her neck and belly making her more content. Suddenly, the car slipped off the pavement, rolled several times and finally came to a halt in a grove of trees. Thank God all of them were okay, cuts, scrapes & bruises only. The car was totaled. My son and DIL were busy seeing that the girls were okay and calming them. They saw their little poodle was okay but could not immediately leave the girls to get her put back in the crate. People came to help and the poodle was so frightened she ran from them. Well meaning people just kept chasing her and she was soon nowhere to be found. They called and we drove over to pick them up and help look for their little poodle. Everywhere we went people had seen her running scared just after the accident but not since. We put up signs, sent flyers to every vet in the area, and returned on 3 consecutive days. My son and DIL went a few more times as well. We never did find their precious little poodle. I know they were very sorry for not keeping her in that crate!