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Updated: Jun 12th, 2008 - 03:26:03 |
Summer is a popular time for travel. The weather is warm, the days are long,
and even adults are rocked to relaxation by the memory of summer vacations. Gas
prices may be high, but the urge to roam is strong. We love to travel with our
dogs and our dogs love to travel with us.
Who doesn’t think the idea of a dog with his head out the window is cute. We
can’t help seeing a slobbering tongue flapping freely as a symbol of canine
happiness. Unfortunately, it’s an act that leads to a considerable number of
accidents. I learned this the frightening way years ago when my dog leapt
through a partially opened car window. He wanted to play with the dog he saw
playing in a yard we were passing and in that exuberance we find so charming in
our dogs, he launched himself confidently out the window.
We were lucky. He landed in the grass and, against all odds, was unharmed.
Having related this story to others hanging out in the dog park and such, I’ve
heard a lot of similar stories with less happy endings. Small dogs breaking
multiple limbs, even a large Rhodesian ridgeback mix that leapt from the window,
just as my dog did. Only he did it on the highway and ended his life in a
collision with a semi truck.
Upon talking to others about their canine horror stories, I found an even more
frequent mistake that claims lives. Some people I spoke to told of seeing their
dogs bolt out of their cars when someone opened the door for a pit stop. There
was a spunky miniature pinscher mix I used to groom who slipped out this way; so
excited to get out and play at a rest stop he darted right past his devoted
guardian, directly into traffic.
And I heard other tales of rescue dogs being transported from a shelter to their
new adoptive homes a few states away that evaded their drivers and darted into
the woods to hide, lost and confused. Some of these dogs were never recovered.
The point of all these horror stories is that we all should secure our dogs
properly whenever they ride in a car. Seat belts for dogs are widely available
and are easy to use. Your dog is either secured inside a special harness that is
attached to your car’s existing seatbelt or seatbelt closing mechanism, or your
dog’s walking harness is attached to a belt that is secured to the car seat.
When traveling, as soon as you stop for a rest or at your destination, attach
your dog’s leash to the harness before you unclip him from the seat belt. The
belt also keeps your dog from pushing his head out of open windows where he can
either slip out or risk debris related injuries. The windows can be open,
offering a breeze and view he can enjoy without the danger an unrestrained dog
faces.
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