Pet Restraints - Not So Restraining?

[gemy]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Agreed on the smaller dog testing. There are so many small dogs, I wish we had some testing to see what is actually the safest as I'm not happy with Tibbe's carrier situation but I just so fear the other types failing or accidental seatbelt deployment in a highspeed crash. I fear in his carrier, Tibbe could still break his neck or sustain a head injury.

I know Jeanie, we are all at risk in a car. You'd think some bright young dog loving engineer could design a safer car travel crate?

In the kind of accident my friend went through, all dogs and herself were lucky, very lucky to be alive. Even with big dogs, at that kind of impact, they could break their necks or back too Not a welcome thought at all!.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by gemy

I know Jeanie, we are all at risk in a car. You'd think some bright young dog loving engineer could design a safer car travel crate?

In the kind of accident my friend went through, all dogs and herself were lucky, very lucky to be alive. Even with big dogs, at that kind of impact, they could break their necks or back too Not a welcome thought at all!.

Agreed. You know it pretty much shocked me to see that apparently this type of testing apparently hasn't even been done by a seemingly independent third party tester and there doesn't seem to be one single option for a small dog that doesn't have one drawback or the other. Nor, apparently, do large dogs have anything all that great.

[Harrysmum]

Originally Posted by Sweet Girls

Thanks so much for sharing! I tried everything for my Yorkie, but she "houdinied" her way out of everything...harnesses, car seats etc. I finally resorted to putting her and my other dog in a metal crate that I have tied down...It may not be the only solution, but I feel better knowing that they are contained and safe.

Same with my Mr. Harry Houdini

Harry goes in his crate with his harness on. We use a car lead that clips onto his harness - then slots into the seat belt slot. We then put the over shoulder seat belt round his whole crate, threadled through, then round into the other seat belt slot.

We had a car accident several years ago, and our Schnauzer was in HIS crate, with the same arrangement. Our car rolled and we ended up on it's roof and had to be cut out by the Fire Brigade.

We ended up in A+E - Sam the Schnauzer was totally unscathed...thank goodness. Scarey stuff all round Sally + Harry x

[navillusc]

This is no surprise. It is not the first time a "safety" system...err...wasn't safe. I need no formal tests to figure out that these "restraint" systems will fail miserably...and tragically. Their purpose is to keep the animal from bouncing around in the car, mashing the accelerator pedal, blocking the driver's view of the road, etc.

I agree...the closest thing to "safe" for an animal in a "crash" is a strapped down, full enclosure/crate...preferably at least partly padded with motion absorbancy. I wish there was something better...I fear that the new 'laws' like what NJ passed will proliferate the manufacturing of profitable equipment to the detriment of furbabies.

[gracielove]

This link shows a handy device to hold a carrier safely in place on a car seat:
Amazon.com: Kurgo Carrier Keeper - Argyle: Pet... It is just the straps that help hold the carrier in place. It is a much safer for when you travel. I think the car seats are great for around town driving but if you are traveling any distance this is true protection for your pet. I know many of our babies are spoiled by other ways of travel. Gracie doesn't mind traveling in a carrier as long as she can keep track of what is going on with her people.
As Yorkietalkjilly said it protects in case of flying objects. If a car gets hit by another car things, people, pets, and glass flies!

[Britster]

Yet I'm not convinced a crate would be much better. The dog would still be hurled pretty hard against it. Those metal ones could turn into skewers, and the plastic ones could probably shatter easily. Also, if the crate gets banged up enough, it could be hard to open. Cutting a dog out of a harness, if need be, wouldn't be too hard. Cutting a dog out of a crate...that would be a little harder.

I don't know. There's risks both ways unfortunately. It just sucks all around, I think I guess we just have to do the best we can.

There is a crash tested proved crate but it's like $2000... and that ain't happening.

Here's one I found for $200: Large Dog Crate

I was in an accident with Jackson two years ago where my car was totaled. He was in the back and not attached to anything. I am so thankful he was not on my lap, and he wasn't injured. I almost wonder if he had been hooked up if he would have actually gotten hurt, after watching these videos. I almost feel like more damage would have been done.

[Sweet Girls]

Originally Posted by Britster

I was in an accident with Jackson two years ago where my car was totaled. He was in the back and not attached to anything. I am so thankful he was not on my lap, and he wasn't injured. I almost wonder if he had been hooked up if he would have actually gotten hurt, after watching these videos. I almost feel like more damage would have been done.

But without any kind of restraint, there is no guantee that your dog will remain near/at the vehicle if you are in an accident and can't restrain him yourself...and what about dogs who might be protective? If you are unconscious, and your dog is protecting you...how can he be safely restrained so that the EMT can work on you? I know I've heard stories on other boards about dogs who vanish after an accident and it can sometimes take days to find them...they ran off because the were afraid, and if the owner is injured and can't search...who is going to look for them? I know that the crate might not be perfect, but I would rather give my dogs a fighting chance of being in one location and easy to restrain by strangers than leave them free to wonder. Same argument was made about people wearing seat belts when that law was passed...some, my father included, used to strongly believe that being restrained into the car could have resulted in death if the car caught on fire...but how many more lives have been saved with the use of seat belts today than lost due to people caught in car fires?

[gracielove]

A dog, along with any loose item in a car becomes a projectile object during a car accident. When an accident happens anything in a person's lap goes flying as well. In a true car accident that involves a car rolling or even sliding along after going out of control or being hit by another vehicle the dog in a harness restraint is going to be jerked and thrown, possibly even flipped around several times within a matter of seconds with a great deal of force. More than likely would have multiple injuries if it even survived. A dog in an airline approved hard crate (the kind approved for cargo travel) that is properly secured in the vehicle may get a few bumps but is going to be much better off than the dog in a harness restraint or that is loose in the car. Unhooking the crate is quite simple and the least of the problems. The dog is secure in the crate and not flopping around in distress after an accident.

[gracielove]

Originally Posted by Sweet Girls

But without any kind of restraint, there is no guantee that your dog will remain near/at the vehicle if you are in an accident and can't restrain him yourself...and what about dogs who might be protective? If you are unconscious, and your dog is protecting you...how can he be safely restrained so that the EMT can work on you? I know I've heard stories on other boards about dogs who vanish after an accident and it can sometimes take days to find them...they ran off because the were afraid, and if the owner is injured and can't search...who is going to look for them? I know that the crate might not be perfect, but I would rather give my dogs a fighting chance of being in one location and easy to restrain by strangers than leave them free to wonder. Same argument was made about people wearing seat belts when that law was passed...some, my father included, used to strongly believe that being restrained into the car could have resulted in death if the car caught on fire...but how many more lives have been saved with the use of seat belts today than lost due to people caught in car fires?

I can't tell you the number of animals that have been lost during motor vehicle accidents. If they survive many times the injured and frightened animal will run and die by it's self in a hidden location or are never seen again. The crate is the safest traveling method of any available right now.

[gemy]

I do have to agree. With large dogs and a protective breed at that, I want them in a crate. At least rescue folks can safely remove the crate from the car. Transport safely to the ER. And then the ER vet folks can handle, including shooting in a mild sedative to safely remove the dog.

I think that I am going to change my car crates to the hard sided ones, cause as Brit said the wire crates can buckle and end up with sharp/jagged points. I did see a beautiful full aluminum solid crate, the price was very expensive, but they did not make crates large enough...sigh.