Pet Travel and Safety Day

Have you guys seen the movie Marley and Me? There is a scene in that movie where Marley tries to jump out the window while his owners are driving. The owners, in panic, grab a hold of Marley and are holding  his back end while his front half is walking on the road. Most of us laughed at that part, relieved that Marley wasn't injured. But this is more common than a lot of people think. I remember someone who was in the parking lot at the pet store I work at, and the dog got so excited when she saw the building that she jumped out of the window the second that they stopped. She was a little dog, a yorkie mix, and ended up limping into the store. Thankfully she ended up being fine, but what would have happend if they were still driving or on a busy highway?

I am a slightly paranoid (or very paranoid according to my best friend) when it comes to my dogs and cars. Here are some things that could help keep your dog safe while your driving.

1. Windows - I do my best to roll my window down a little, but never enough that they can stick their whole head out. Although it is fun to watch the goofy faces that our dogs make as we drive, they can potentially get hit by objects (rocks/pebbles) that fly up from your car or the car next to you. Also, for some dogs, if they can get their head out then they can get their body out. I know that I don't want to re-create Marley's window scene!

2. Seat Belts - Most people don't put too much thought into seat belts for their dogs, but just think about it. If someone pulls out in front of you and you have to slam on the brakes what happens to your dog? Usually it ends with them hitting the dash board or the seat in front of them. I would think this would be a great way to end up with a concussion or in severe cases, like a car accident, getting ejected from the car. Although these are on more of the extreme side it is always helpful to have your dogs in a seat belt, or even a crate when traveling.

3. Don't let your dog sit on your lap while your driving - There is a few reasons for this one. Firstly, if they dog gets excited and starts jumping, moving, or barking it is a major distraction for the driver. Second is more for the reason that if you get into an accident, most likely the dog will be ejected or hurt/killed by the airbag. I have unfortunately had a relative that had that exact thing happen when she got into a car accident.

Now you can take it or leave it on this advice. I'm not saying that everyone should follow my lead, or that this is all 100% correct, but this seemed like a few ways that I can keep my own dogs safe when they get in my car.

Please feel free to let me know if you have any pet travel safety advice in the comment section.

Safe Travels!

Erin,
 Reeses &Blossom