Does your dog love to ride in the car? Is it thrilled to stick its head out the window and flap its ears in the breeze?  Maybe it loves to ride in the seat next to you, or even snuggled between the kids in the back seat.

If your dog does any of these things, you are in good company.  Over 71 million homes in the United States have pets.  Half of these households have more than 1 pet, and 82% of pets travel on vacation with their families.

Sadly, 30,000 accidents occur each year, because dogs were travelling in the front seat. Every 18 minutes, an accident occurs due to a loose pet in a vehicle, usually because 98% of dogs travel unrestrained.

If you are traveling with your pet, there are several good reasons to make sure it is adequately restrained in the car.

• A loose dog can climb on the driver’s lap and interfere with driving, block vision, or fall down by the gas and brake pedals, causing a car accident.
• An unrestrained pet becomes a dangerous projectile in the case of a sudden stop or auto accident.
• Dogs that are injured and in pain get scared or confused, and may become hostile. When a dog bite is fear based they may even react to the people trying to help.  A scared dog may bite EMS rescue workers or even family members.
• In a car accident, a dog may get out through a window or door, and get into oncoming traffic, endangering itself or causing another accident.

The law in Michigan and throughout the country requires adults to buckle up, and children to be secured in car seats. Although the law does not require restraints for our dogs, it’s wise to “go the extra mile” to protect your pet.

The three best ways to keep your dog safe while traveling are:

1. A pet harness designed for traveling. The harness should fit snugly around the dog’s chest and shoulders, and behind the front leg.  It should have a strap that secures to the car’s seatbelt.  This will comfortably restrain the dog in much the same way as the adult seat belt.
2. A second choice is putting the dog in a crate in the back seat.  Crates or sturdy pet carriers provide protection similar to a child safety seat. Secure the crate to the rear seat so it does not fly forward or flip over in case of a sudden stop or accident.
3. If these two options are not available, putting a barrier between the front and rear seat will help keep your family safe, but will not provide adequate protection to your dog. The barrier keeps the dog from being a distraction to the driver, and from injuring passengers if the car stops suddenly.  Unfortunately, it won’t prevent your dog from being tossed around in the case of an auto accident.