Car safety for my furbaby
 

Last week, we were driving after dark and we hit a deer. Yes, we had our little yorkie with us and she was in my lap. Thankfully, we were not hurt and the airbags did not open as she probably would have been killed. Now I need to know how to contain her in the car so that she will be safe in the future. It really was a wake-up call for me. The car is being repaired but she cannot be replaced. Any suggestions?

I would get a dog carseat and keep it in the back seat. Most have a strap that hooks to your babys harness so if there is and accident or a sudden stop they dont go flying.

The car seat is the best, but even if you used the strap from one of them and secured it to her harness and just the seat belt, it keeps them restrained.

A reminder: just as infants and small children should be in the back seat, so should our furbabies. Most safety bags deploy on both front seats during an accident. The power with which they deploy is enormous and can still kill a dog, just like they can kill a small child. Perhaps your car has an advanced system that won't deploy unless there is X amount of weight on the seat; maybe you can enable/disable the bag with a button (check with a dealer) - but don't forget to enable it when you have human passengers. And if your car has side bags/curtains, then make sure the car seat is in the middle, away from deployment areas.

They like the height given to them with the car seat: they can look out the window and see what's going on. The one I have will hold both the furbabies, and has a built in drawer to hold items like their leashes, bowls, snacks, etc. This site has many options: Snoozer Lookout Booster Dog Car Seats, Pet Car Seat in All Sizes and Colors

Happy hunting for the perfect seat for both of you. Sorry 'bout the accident and I hope you get your car back soon - but maybe it was a good thing if your furbaby will be better protected in the future :)

I tried to edit my messge, but was over the time limit ... :rolleyes:

I did a lot of research prior to making my purchase and (at least at the time) the Snoozer worked best for me. I purchased the medium for both the pups based on safety, convenience, appearance and ammenities. If these don't appeal to you, then just do a Google for "dog car seats" and there are many other options.

What size are your dogs? Do you have the Snoozer in the front or back seat?

I use it in the back seat, but it can be used in the front, too. I just usually have another human in the front with me ;). Bella is a little bit more than 4 lbs. and Puddie is about 8 lbs. The one I have has a little drawer underneath where the dogs sit, and I can keep stuff in there (treats, water, leashes, poop bags, that kind of stuff). It sits right at window level so they can look out if they want to.

I got a grey one that matches the interior of my car. It comes off easily and is washable. It's the medium size.

Yorkies in cars should be treated the same way as children...they should be in a carseat (I have snoozer's) strapped in and placed in the backseat (middle if you can do it). In a car crash the pillars will take the brunt of the impact, also with them strapped in they will not fly through the air into the front seat dash or glass and if you are knocked out they can not get out of the car and run loose. This has happened before as emergency people are there to help the humans, not the animals.

Layla is in a small travelling crate- in the backseat, buckled in with the seatbelt. I chose to use a crate for a few reasons- In the crate she won't be affected by any glass that might break. Also, should something happen to me and I need to be taken to the hospital- I know she is safe in her crate and will be much easier for EMS or someone to deal with.

I read somewhere that if the dog has to much room in the crate and the car is hit they will be slammed against the side of the crate and this could cause harm....not sure if this is true but thought you might want to know.

I've heard that too- Layla's crate is not very big at all. She might have 5-6 inches on either side of her. I still feel better having her enclosed in something than having her in the car with the possibility of being hit by something flying around the car.

I know and understand...the old saying comes to mine...darned if I do, darned if I don't. We will never know until (God forbid) the type of accident happens that it is better she is in a lookout seat or better to be in a crate...What is good is that she is not loose in the car...that is the best.

:thumbup: I use a small crate as well.
I think that crates & car seats are both safe choices for traveling.

One more thought - make sure you have another contact name and phone number on the crate so if you were in an accident a friend could get her out of animal control because that is where dogs are taken in a car accident. I am not sure if if a letter of permission shouldn't also be attached...not sure of that one...I only know when I would babysit my nieces, my sisters always left me letters.

I have the smaller snoozer seat in my front seat-the air bag is not activated on that side and they are harnessed in.

We have a larger snoozer set on the hump in the back in hubbys car that they are strapped into.

Ive hit a deer before and it so scary and usually not preventable. Im sorry this happened to you. It so sad and shocking. Im glad no one was hurt.
I use a snoozer and harness them to it in the front seat but my airbag isnt activated.

We have a car seat and we also have these harness things which attach to the seatbelt. The harnesses are better constructed than the carseat but the carseat allows them to see out the window.

Our carseat attaches in with the seat belt so they are still straped in with the seat belt...yours doesnt?

It's the PetGear one I believe and it straps in with the seatbelt but the strap that attaches to their harnesses isn't attached to the seatbelt or anything like that so if there was an accident they'd be hanging off the car seat but would be restrained. My dad can fix everything so he is going to try to make the strap attach to the seatbelt so it works perfectly:)

Thats good that your dad can fix it.
Our carseat is seatbelted in and towards the back of the car seat I can attach the harnessess w/ a short leash type thing to the seat belt strap and they are secure. I did have to get creative and to make it work for 3 dogs because it was only meant for one but they are definitely safe and secure and love looking out the window.

i keep mine in the back seat strapped in with this car seat

PetEdge: Lookout My Buddy Car Seat w/Storage for Pets

I use the harness car seat as well and both go around the seat belt

never keep in front seat if you have air bags and cannot turn off the air bag as some cars do but mine do not so they go in back seat. I saw what an airbag did to my friend that was 5'5 and her face was messed up - i guess they are designed for a 6ft man or something as she looked pretty bad - after that i always put them in the back seat. Ideally I think a crate in back seat is best but i like mine to be able to look out the window

here is the harness i use and it does not go near the trachea which is great and so they are double strapped to seat belt

Comfort Ride Travelin' Dog Car Harness - Seat Belts/Harnesses - Travel - PetSmart

Thanks, everyone!
 

Getting ready for a road trip and checking all my options...hard to know when it comes to a 3 lb. yorkie who thinks she has to be as close as she can get to her Mommy and Daddy. I appreciate all your help!

there is nothing wrong to be in canada instead of california, dont be sad.
im in california, and envy u being in canada, see~

be happy


:D

this is how I feel as well... that is why mine are also buckled in a crate.

I use a small soft sided crate (a sturdibag to be exact)... this way there is no harsh impact if they are thrown against the side of the crate... as well the bag can easily be picked up and moved should the need arise.

My sofia has a sleepy pod. It works great, because you can close it up to keep her in. Some times she gets to wild, if we are on a long ride. If I close the top she goes to sleep or plays with her toys. It has a handle so you can use it as a carrier too. It even has a heating pad for those cold mornings or evenings. Works off the car plug or ac. She thinks its her bed, so she doesn't mind it at all.

We got the snoozer car seat. Ours can be used in front or back. Penny is 6 lbs. We got the bigger one. I think that was a med. A pet store here told us to get the bigger one as they run small. We are glad we did. I don't have to hold her up so she can see out. Penny likes her seat and so do we. She doesn't get car sick as much. Hope she out grows that.

Wow, identification in case of an accident is brilliant. I would have never thought of that. Sure, my phone number is on her tag but what if it's ME that's hurt and can't talk. Labeling the carrier or crate with an alternate number in case of emergency is one of the best ideas I have learned on YT. I realize that it's not the paramedics job to find my baby a safe haven but maybe a good samaritan would find the phone number and make a cell phone call. Honestly, I'm not a worrier but I don't want to have my head in the sand and hope for the best either. I would rather her be stolden than left alone in a wrecked car to starve. OK, breathe.....

I have to get one for my baby too but after 5 years of holding him on my lap, are there any suggestions on how to get him to stay there? He is going to cry the whole time.

you could just get a leash splitter. The kind you walk two dogs at once with one leash.... and hook it to the one strap. Shorten everything considerably, but you then could hook up both your kids.