6 minute read
Words, Woofs & Meows
Cars, trucks, mini-vans, basically any automobile are oft en as much a part of our pets' lives as they are ours. It's how we brought them home the fi rst ti me and how we transport them to all types of acti viti es. We have all known someone who has a dog that the mere menti on of "car ride" has the dog leaping in ecstasy. However, some dogs are or become terrifi ed of riding in a moving vehicle. Some cats enjoy car rides, but many fi nd the crate and car a predictor of getti ng sick or a trip to the vet.
Automobile Safety for Pets
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We are responsible for the safety of our pets. Pets need to be secured in a vehicle when it is in moti on for their safety and our own. A loose pet can become a distracti on to the driver. A pet in the car's front seat is unlikely to survive if the airbag discharges in an accident. An unsecured pet riding is more likely to become seriously injured. It also has great potenti al to hurt passengers if they become a fast-moving projecti le due to a sudden stop. Even if a pet is uninjured in an accident, it is possible that it will be so terrifi ed it will franti cally try to escape, which itself can result in injury or death. Dogs have even been known to deter emergency personnel from rescuing injured people. An arti cle about car safety harnesses in the Whole Dog Journal, [Car Safety Harness Recommendati on, updated 3/21/19], discusses a Boxer named Ruby that was riding in a car unrestrained when the vehicle was in an accident. Ruby survived but "…suff ered a spinal-cord injury
by Don Hanson
ACCBC, BFRAP, CDBC, CPDT-KA
and mild brain injury." Ruby also required months of intensive rehab, costi ng over $9,000.
One opti on for securing a pet in a vehicle is a hard-sided crate of the type used for air transport. The crate should be just big enough for your pet to stand up and lie down. A separate crate should be used for each pet. It would be best if you secure the crate to the vehicle chassis in a manner such that it cannot break loose in the event of an accident. An unsecured crate can become a dangerous projecti le. For a crate to eff ecti vely keep your pet safe and secure in your vehicle, your pet must be comfortable in its crate. Unfortunately, some pets fi nd a crate stressful, in which case, you will need to pati ently help them learn that the crate is a safe place. The following two arti cles can help with the process; Dogs – Crate Habituati on to Reduce Anxiety – htt p://bit.ly/CrateHabituati on and Cats – Make Your Life Easier – Get Your Cat to Love Their Carrier – htt p://bit.ly/Cats-Carriers. A gate or barrier is another opti on for securing a pet in a vehicle. However, for these to provide the safety necessary in the event of an accident, they must be att ached to the vehicle chassis, so they cannot break free. While this would probably keep passengers safe, it is no guarantee the pet will survive the crash. Many people confi ne their dogs to the backseat of their car with a special harness or seatbelt made especially for dogs. Unfortunately, many of these products may not protect your dog in a crash, giving you a false sense of security. Only three such harnesses have passed the rigorous crash test standards of the Center for Pet Safety (CPS) [htt ps://www.centerforpetsafety. org/] You can fi nd a list of harnesses, carriers, and crates that are CPS Certi fi ed at htt ps:// www.centerforpetsafety.org/cpscerti fi ed/ While a CPS Certi fi ed harness can be an excellent opti on, recognize that your dog may not automati cally enjoy being harnessed in the car. A rewardbased dog trainer can help you slowly acclimate your dog to wearing a seat belt.
Does Your Pet Need to Go With You?
Most of us rarely take our cats for a ride because of most cats' inherent dislike of travel. On the other hand, many of us love our dogs' company, and the dogs oft en love the adventure of a ride. However, if you will need to leave your dog alone in the vehicle at any ti me, I encourage you to ask yourself if having the dog with you is necessary. Unless the trip is specifi cally for the dog, a visit to daycare or the dog park, a hiking adventure appropriate for the dog, a trip to the veterinarian, or something else where the dog's presence is required, I encourage you to consider leaving the dog at home. When we leave a dog alone in a vehicle, we need to worry about it; overheati ng, getti ng too cold, becoming anxious and franti cally trying to escape, being stolen, or being teased by uncaring people. More than one person has told me how they caught a person taunti ng the dog while the dog was left in the car. Aft er this, the dog behaved aggressively anyti me anyone approached the vehicle. Another person told me he left his dog alone in the car for only a brief moment. However, it was enough ti me for a child to be bitt en when the child stuck his litt le hand in through the open window. I love having Muppy with me, but if there is a possibility I might need to leave her alone in the car, she stays home. Next month I will discuss how to help those pets that fi nd rides in an automobile stressful.
Don Hanson is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop (greenacreskennel.com) in Bangor where he has been helping people with their pets since 1995. He also produces and co- hosts The Woof Meow Show heard on AM620 -WZON every Saturday at 9 AM. Podcasts of the show are available at www.woofmeowshow.com. Don also writes about pets at his blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com. He is committ ed to pet care and pet training that is free of pain, force, and fear. The opinions in this column are those of Don Hanson.
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