Pet Auto Safety

Here is a sad story about a 7 month old lab puppy put to sleep after being in a car accident.  His owner’s car was struck by a teen driver who was texting while he was driving.  A fireman tried to help the puppy in the wrecked vehicle, but the puppy bit him - most definitely in fear.

When a dog is in a car wreck, they are terrified.  And when a dog is terrified they may bite or run out of fear.  It is important to remember to try to muzzle an injured animal before trying to help them.  It is not known whether the puppy was put to sleep because of his injuries or because he bit someone.

To read more about this very sad incident, check out this site:
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/article_1d9090db-424e-54de-b9f9-9ae9abdfb8d7.html

Visit the CBS for The Early Show at
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/29/earlyshow/living/petplanet/main3000023.shtml to see the featured Kurgo Backseat Barrier.  The Kurgo Backseat Barrier is also available at www.PetAutoSafety.comfor the same low price.  The Kurgo Backseat Barrier is a great way to keep your pet in the back seat so that he doesn’t distract the driver.  What makes the Kurgo Backseat Barrierdifferent from other auto barriers is that it is not made of harsh metal or wire.  Should you be in a car accident with your dog, the canvas barrier will provide a much safer cushion than metal bars and it will still keep your dog from flying between the seats and out the front windshield.

When a dog is in a car accident, they are so terrified that they will most likely try to run away from what terrified them.  That is what happened to to Lula, a 9 month old German Shorthaired Pointer who was in a car accident in Richland, Washington.  A friend went looking for Lula after the accident only to find that she had been struck by a car on the road and killed.

To read more about this sad story, visit http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010154195_webdogkilled28m.html.

Thank goodness Sparky was found after being in a car accident.  Him and his owner, Jesse Haas, were driving down a road one night when they hit a stopped vehicle not quite pulled off the road.  Jesse Haas’s vehicle flipped several times.  Thankfully, Jesse Haas only suffered minor injuries, but Sparky took off in terror through a broken window.  A witness to the accident said the dog took off into the woods so he and Jesse Haas called after him as they went searching.  Thankfully, Sparky came out of some bushes.  His owner is taking him to the vet.

If you want to read more about this story, visit http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/65823642.html.

 Not all stories about dogs in car accidents end happily.  Check out our other blog, AmericanDogBlog, for a sad story about a dog put to sleep after being in a car accident.

Keeping your car clean when you let your dogs ride along is not easy. First of all, there is dog hair everywhere, even in places where the dog doesn’t go. Then there is the muddy paws and the doggy drool to contend with. So how do you keep your car clean from all this stuff? Unfortunately, the only way to prevent your dog from getting your car dirty is to not let your dog ride in the car - but what fun would that be? However, you can minimize the dirtiness. One particular pet travel product specifically helps to keep your car doors clean of drool and mud - the Hatchbag ® Vehicle Door Bib. The Hatchbag ® Vehicle Door Bib inserts into your car window slot and hangs down over the door interior. It is easy to use and even easier to clean

To anyone living in Frederick County, Maryland, please keep an eye out for a small black and brown dog which escape from their SUV after the owner got into a car accident.  Unfortunately, the owner dies of her injuries.  The dog could also be seriously injured and may need medical assistance as well.  To get more information on this car accident, visit http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?storyID=96795.

Did you ever wonder why your dog just doesn’t listen? You hear about it a lot with some parents and their children, but with dogs it is a much simpler reason - and a simpler solution. As it sometimes is with children, dogs don’t listen to you because they don’t respect you. You give them everything they could ever want and they don’t have to do a thing to earn it, so what is their motivation for doing what you tell them to do? Not much. But before your use negative motivation like yelling (or worse, physical punishment), try some simple positive actions to earn your dog’s respect.

A Baton Rouge police dog dies in the line of duty on Friday, October 16, 2009.  The officer was driving early Friday morning in the patrol car with his K-9 partner, Philos, when they were broadsided by the driver of a pickup driving the wrong way on a one way street.  Both the driver of the pickup and the police officer suffered minor injuries.  Philos was taken to an emergency vet hospital but died of his injuries.

 To read more about his sad article, visit this website:  http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/64655982.html

Ever wonder what would happen to your dog if you got into a car accident?  Believe it or not, it happens more than you think.  We have a couple of blog posts which link to dogs who survived a car accident and managed to get home only after being lost for several days.  But the only time reports are made about dogs in car accidents are the reports in which a dog miraculously survives.  I suppose it isn’t newsworthy when it is just another dog who died in the car.  But it happens and it is tragic.

So what is the least which could happen if your dog is in a car accident?  The least is that the dog will get tossed about a bit and suffer a frightening experience.  The incident could be so traumatic that your dog may not want to ride in the car again. 

What’s the worst that could happen?  Lots of things.  Your dog could get thrown from the vehicle where it could die or even be hit by another car on the road.  Your dog could fly forward and hit a passenger, killing both the dog and the passenger.  A dog, no matter what size, could become a deadly projectile.  Your dog could get tossed around inside the car and break their legs, ribs, or even their neck.  They could suffer severe internal and/or external injuries.

How can you prevent this?  By having your dog wear a dog safety restraint when they are in the car.  A dog safety restraint can be a dog car seat belt, a pet safety seat, or even a safely secured dog crate.

Now that summer is over, you may not be taking your dog with you in the car as much. But if you do, don’t forget to keep them safe. Remember these simple pet travel tips:

• Don’t let your dog put their head out the window - even flying debris like leaves can do damage to your dog’s eye at 60mph.
• Have your dog wear a dog seat belt.
• Keep first aid kit for you and your dog in the car.
• Keep a blanket in the car.
• Keep drinking water in the car.
• Keep your dog’s leash handy and don’t let them out of their dog seat belt until they are safely restrained on the leash.
• Don’t let your dog ride in the front seat of the car unless your car does not have passenger side airbags or unless the passenger side airbags have been disabled.
• Do not leave your dog in the car, even in cool weather.
• Don’t let your dog ride in the back of a pick up without proper restraints. (A rope does not count as a proper restraining. For the proper product to keep your dog safe in the back of the pick up, visit http://www.petautosafety.com/product/00054-K).