Pet Auto Safety

Distractions which could cause a wreck:

• Nosing, licking, or otherwise pestering the driver.
• Trying to climb in the lap of the driver.
• Pacing back and forth from window to window.

Injury to themselves or other passengers:

• Injury to your dog’s eyes or nose from flying debris when their head is out the window.
• Broken bones, internal injuries, trauma, or death due to sudden stop, violent swerve, or car wreck.
• If a car wreck occurs, your dog could become a deadly projectile which could kill them and possibly other passengers.

Escaping the vehicle:

• Jumping out of a moving vehicle causing injury to themselves and possibly causing a wreck from you stopping suddenly or from other
  cars trying to avoid hitting them.
• Dog which is projected from or escapes from a wrecked vehicle could cause another wreck when it gets into the road.

Breaking the law:

• While it may not be against the law to have your dog unseatbelted, if law enforcement sees that your dog is a distraction you may be
  ticketed for unsafe driving.

Stress to your dog:

• Unharnessed or uncrated dogs can get stressed out in a car. Stopping, turning, etc can prevent them from keeping their balance. They
  don’t understand all the movements and can be stressed by it.
• Dogs can get carsick - especially little dogs who can’t see out the window.
• A stressed dog can vomit or make other types of messes in your car.

Our message does not mean that you shouldn’t take your dog with you in the car. We just want you to think about you and your dog’s safety when they are in the car. Consider a dog car seat belt, keeping them in a crate or pet car seat, or putting up a pet barrier between the front and back seats in order to keep them in the back. For more information on dog car safety, visit http://www.petautosafety.com/pet-travel-articles.

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