Pet Auto Safety

Every year on the 4th of July we walk over to the park near our house where there is a huge fireworks display. And every year when I get home Sephi is hiding in the bathroom. I find her there shaking uncontrollably from the terrible noises that just took place. I can only imagine how she would have felt if I had brought her to the park with me.

I am amazed at how many people I see at fireworks displays with their pets. So many dogs get lost this time of year due to them running off in fright. And some of them end up getting hit by a car. So please leave your dog at home during the fireworks display.

There are other things you should consider this 4th of July in keeping your pet safe. It’s not unheard of for a dog to break their chain, dig out, or jump the fence in order to try to escape the noise. So keep your pet indoors. And if possible, keep them in the quietest place of the house. Sephi goes into our bathroom because that is the quietest place. I turn on the bathroom fan because she is familiar with that noise and it helps to drown out some of the noises of the fireworks. You can also leave a television or radio on for your pet before you leave. Do not leave any windows of your house open. And if your dog knows how to open any of your doors, lock them before you leave.

Always make sure your pet is wearing their identification tags. A desperate dog just might be able to find a way out. I have heard of dogs breaking out of windows, going through air ducts, and even managing to open an unlocked door. Tags will help to bring them home. If you find a dog this year, contact the local animal shelter and humane society. Post in the classified ads of your local newspaper. Post online too. Craig’s list is a popular place to post online. Leave fliers at local neighborhood centers and notify local residents.

If you know your pet will enjoy it, feel free to take your pet to the park for the 4th of July picnic, but please leave them at home for the fireworks! Enjoy the Independence Day celebration and come home to a safe and happy pet.

We have just recently come across the best car seat for dogs that we have ever seen.  It’s the Travelin’ Dog Pet Seat made by The Good Pet Stuff Company (a division of Aquiline Innovations Corp).  This is a company located in California where the strictest pet auto safety laws in the country are being implemented.  The Travelin’ Dog Pet Seat follows all the guidelines being set forth in a soon to be passed California bill that will require all dogs in the car to be safely restrained.

The Travelin’ Dog Pet Car Seat features a heavy-duty strap hook which provides quick and easy hook-up to your pet’s harness. It fastens securely with your car’s own seat belt for a secure ride. The back 1 ½” strong wide straps provide support in sudden stops and the 1” side straps keep your pet from being thrown sideways. The seat belt passes through the plastic body of the peat seat, similar to an infant car seat, for a secure ride. A dependable anchor strap fastens through three openings to provide a strong anchor and the seat plastic is ribbed and reinforced. The hinged platform covers the storage space and allows easy access to the seat belt pass-through. The pet seat is shaped like a pet bed to provide comfort. It is semi-oval/square shaped approximately 18” wide and 17” long. Pets can ride 6″ above the seat with the legs folded under or at a 10″ height when the legs are extended. It can also be used outside of the automobile (in the home, hotel, etc.) as a pet bed when the legs are folded and in an up position. A thick foam and fleece seat padding provides your pet a comfortable and attractive riding surface with side padding for additional comfort. It has space under the riding platform which can be used to store your pet’s travel gear. Includes removable travel bowl with lid for food and water on the go. This car seat is best for small to medium sized dogs of up to 35 pounds.

Missy is a sweet dog. She was rescued from the local shelter I used to work at. She was literally rescued since she was due to be euthanized when I offered to take her home as my own. She was only 6 months old at the time and very adorable. But the shelter was full and there was no room for her in adoption. Our shelter took in over a hundred animals a day in the summer months and we were lucky if 15 were reclaimed, if 15 were adopted, and if 15 were taken by various animal rescue groups. It was sad to say, but a lot of animals were euthanized every day at this shelter, as they are at many shelters all over the country. The shelters don’t do this by choice, I promise. They do it because there is no other alternative. Most of the animals that were euthanized were unadoptable because they were unhealthy, vicious, or just unsociable. But some of those animals would have made great pets.

Missy is such a great pet. She is well behaved and very lovable. I don’t know what I would do without her. Missy is an odd mix, probably greyhound/shepherd. She has the lean doe-like face of a greyhound and the coloring and black saddle-back of a German shepherd. To think that she was about to be put to sleep just because there are so many irresponsible pet owners out there who refuse to get their pet spayed or neutered and let their dogs roam the neighborhoods! If you aren’t going to be responsible for a pet, you should not even have one. So even though I don’t work at the animal shelter anymore, I am still a big advocate for spaying and neutering. And as an advocate for spaying and neutering, I want to encourage you do spay or neuter your dog or cat. Unless you are a professional breeder, you should not be breeding dogs. There are plenty of professional breeders out there and too many irresponsible breeders who breed dogs in puppy mills just to make money. So unless you know about breeding, PLEASE don’t contribute to the overpopulation of pets just to make a buck!

The cat safety harness that I got from your online store is great! My cat had to get used to it at first, though. Before I bought this, she just roamed around in the backseat while we drove around.

But now that she is used to it, she just sits quietly. I don’t have to constantly check on her. That makes it safer for me too, because I don’t have to keep glancing back to see what my little kitty is up to.

I love traveling with my dog and I think these dog seat belts are a great idea! I don’t think that they are a waste of money because to me they seem like a very practical investment.

If we can protect our kids with child seats, why not protect our pets too? After all, they are also considered as precious passengers.

It’s summer and it’s HOT! The most important thing to remember to bring when you travel with your dog this summer is water. Just like people, dogs can get dangerously dehydrated in the heat. And just like people, they could die from heat exhaustion.

Prevention:
No matter where you travel this summer, be sure you bring lots and lots of water. You can get water along the way at convenient stores but convenient stores are not always conveniently located. You will need water not only for yourselves, but for your pets as well. Be sure to bring enough for everyone. If you are traveling a long distance by car, having water on hand could be a lifesaver. And don’t forget the dog’s water bowl when you travel. There is a huge variety of pet travel bowls that are small and easy to carry no matter where you go. Some pet travel bowls are collapsible and could even fit in your pocket, making it easy to provide water for your dog when in the car, at the park, camping, or on a long hike.

Older dogs, overweight dogs, puppies, dogs with short pushed-in faces, and dogs with health problems are more susceptible to heat exhaustion than other dogs.  You may want to consider leaving your dog at home, with a friend, or in a boarding kennel rather than taking him with you.

Emergency Care:
If your dog is panting loudly and excessively, salivating more than normal, vomiting, lethargic, and/or the skin on the back of the neck does not spring back to normal when pinched, then these are signs of possible dehydration. If you think your dog is dehydrated, get him out of the sun and somewhere cool as soon as you can. Try to get him to drink some cool water and give him ice if you have any. If there is a pool of cool water nearby or even a water hose, allow your dog to get wet. And be sure to allow your dog to continue to pant. Dogs don’t sweat like we do so panting is their way of cooling down. If you don’t notice any changes within 15 minutes, get your dog to the vet immediately. Heat exhaustion can cause your dog to go into shock. It can also cause some serious damage to your dog’s organs.

Owning a dog is not that easy when you like to drive around.  Most often, these dogs would tend to stand up and peek out the window which is  very dangerous. To remedy the situation, I browsed through the internet and found this dog car booster seat from this site. 

The way it elevates my dog provides the drive with the comfort and security that he needs to enjoy his time in the car. This specialty car seat is a life saver!

I love road trips, especially during weekends.  It’s my way of relieving my stress from the work days that came by.  To enjoy every trip, I usually bring my dog to keep me company, and drive around to places that I like to explore.

Whenever we go on a trip, I make sure that everything is in order and well prepared.  That’s why I invested in one of these dog seat belts. I will never compromise the safety of my best pal while enjoying the adventure on the road.

The employees of PetAutoSafety.com visited an event today called “Paws in the Park” which was presented by the Johnson County Park & Recreation District. This event is located at Shawnee Mission Park, a 1,250 acre park located in Johnson County, Kansas at 79th and Renner Rd. It is the largest park in Johnson County and has more visitors than any other park in the state of Kansas. This is because the park is not only clean and well-kept, but it also has areas designated for numerous activities including fishing, boating, canoeing, picnics, hiking, and biking. It also has a disc golf course, trails for horse back riding, an archery range, a play area for kids, the Theater in the Park, and best of all, a 53 acre off-leash area for dogs. The off-leash area for dogs has a swim beach, some well-kept wood chip trails, and both grassland and wooded areas for the dogs to visit.

“Paws in the Park” is a family and pet event with multiple pet-related activities and pet-related vendors. The pet-related activities and events included a pet/owner look-a-like contest, a dog walk, best trick contest, an agility course, and best costume contest. There was also a canine demonstration by the Overland Park Police Department. The pet-related vendors we saw included PetsMart, various animal rescue groups, local dog training businesses, local dog sitters and day care businesses, veterinary clinics, and more! Next year, we here at PetAutoSafety.com hope to be one of the vendors in this event. Our goal is to not only get the word out about pet auto safety, but to collect enough proceeds to be able to donate a portion to the local humane society. Most of the proceeds for the “Paws in the Park” event is given for the upkeep of Shawnee Mission Park, but a fair portion will be donated to an area dog rescue group. We are proud to contribute to any organization that helps pets. We are also glad that we could contribute to a great park that we take our dogs to all the time.

Check your local area for great off-leash parks and wonderful pet-related events.

Have you noticed doggy nose prints and slimy dog drool on your car windows and door panels? Not only is it disgusting, but the doggy drool can permanently damage your precious car interior if it is not cleaned on a regular basis. And while drool may not damage the windows, it sure is difficult to clean. There is a solution out there for those of us who like to travel with our pets but don’t like the damage done to our car.

Introducing a new product from Hatchbag ®, the same company who created the ultimate Cargo Area Liner and the most durable Pet Net on the market. The Hatchbag ® Vehicle Door Bib protects your vehicle door panels from scratches, muddy paw prints, dog drool, pet hair, etc. If your dog likes to ride, this product is perfect for keeping the door panels of your car interior in new condition. There are two sizes to fit on any vehicle door, including the extended cab vehicle doors. The Vehicle Door Bib is waterproof and cleans easily.

Janice from Cedar Falls, Iowa loves them. “It is so much easier to remove the bibs and car seat cover off to clean them. And when I do, the inside of my car still looks and smells brand new.”

Jacob from Grand Rapids, Minnesota says, “My dog Zeus is a drooler.  He loves to ride in the car but when he does, slobber gets everywhere.  The car seat cover protected the seat but I had nothing to protect the doors until I found the door bib.  It doesn’t stop Zeus from drooling but now I feel much better about letting him ride in my new car.”