Pet seat belts

Ive been seeing a lot of notices on Facebook lately from people who were in vehicle accidents along with their pets, and their pets got scared and ran off. Knowing how my Buddy Dog has major phobias regarding flashing lights, sirens, whistles, etc. I decided to check into some doggy seatbelts. There are a gazillion out there, so I started researching them. I ran across this article..... http://www.forbes.com/sites/hannahelliott/2013/10/28/the-best-seat-belts-for-your-dog/. Its pretty disturbing that, with one exception, all of the ones they tested failed. Its also disturbing that a 10 lb dog can turn into a missle with 300 lbs of force. Buddy weighs 75-80 lbs and Hank is 45. I can't imagine getting hit in the head by one of them flying out of the seat.

So, my question is, do any of you strap in or crate your animals while driving? If so, how do you do it? How would you anchor a crate?

interesting story- last year we decided to let the dogs out of the crates while we traveled. they whine less and it makes for a nicer trip. when we had the truck and TT they rode in crates behind our seats- secured in place. I looked into the dog seat belts as a solution for the MH, I am glad now I didn't get one. I will also be looking for suggestions- thanks for posting (our dogs weigh 25 and 6 lbs)

SMR said:

interesting story- last year we decided to let the dogs out of the crates while we traveled. they whine less and it makes for a nicer trip. when we had the truck and TT they rode in crates behind our seats- secured in place. I looked into the dog seat belts as a solution for the MH, I am glad now I didn't get one. I will also be looking for suggestions- thanks for posting (our dogs weigh 25 and 6 lbs)

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Just put the little one in the glove box.  ;D

We have a 100 pound Golden, and don't know how a seat belt will restrain him while traveling.  I have looked at them all, and can't help but think we will spend half our time stopping to unwind the straps around his body or neck.  Cages are probably the best, don't necessarily like it.

I dare you!!

SMR said:

I dare you!!

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I'll bet he rules the roost!!!

When we moved from Las Vegas to St. Louis, we got seat belts for our 35 lb. Sheltie and our 50 lb. Aussie. The seat belts lasted less than an hour on both dogs. The Sheltie got so nervous, he twisted himself enough that it began choking him and we had to take it off. But the Aussie had already figured out that if she pressed the red button with her paw, the seat belt would release. It worked for neither of them.

We still have our Sheltie at age 12 and a 100 lb. Collie, aged 9. They are one of the reason we bought a MH this year, so they could travel with us instead of being boarded at their advanced ages. I know I'm taking a chance by not strapping them down somehow, but I let them relax on the floor behind our seats and they are just fine. Besides, we don't have any seating behind ours that has seat belts, so we couldn't strap them in anyway.

That Aussie was one smart dog.  We tried a seat belt for our toy poodle. Once. She cried for three solid hours, we couldn't take it any more so now she rides in DW's arms the other mutt on the seat beside me. They have already landed on the floor a couple of times when I had to brake for morons doing something stupid like attempting a left turn without signalling.
I think the important thing is to train them early in life, they will get used to it. One couple had a cushion with a short leash clipped to a body harness secured to the center armrest by a seat belt. Their little fur ball loved riding there, she was up taking in the action. Of course that is not practical for larger breeds.

Every bus and shuttle I have ever been on has zero seat belts for human passengers. I lived full time in my RV with three cats for five years. I cannot imagine putting them in seat belts every time I moved the RV. This is a silly discussion.

I respectfully disagree. Those animals become unguided missiles in the event of sudden stoppage, I would feel better with ours comfortably restrained but peace with them and DW becomes more important.

I know they can be thrown around in an accident. I worry more that they will get out of the vehicle and bolt in panic. Ive seen a lot of that happening lately. Both my dogs are chipped though, and I leave their leashes on them hoping it will give someone a chance to grab them before they get away.

The idea of one of my pups going through the windshield horrifies me, but short of constructing some kind of rubber netting between the two front seats that will catch them in a crash stop, there is little I know of that can be done. That's why I take it upon myself to ensure their safety by the way I drive. I don't watch the car in front of me; I watch the one that's ? mile up the road and every one in between. I make sure there is at least an eight second distance with the car in front of me and I never drive over 62 mph. The combination of all these things allows me the chance to slow down safely and not even bother the dogs from their naps. Yes, there will always be the emergency stop from an idiot pulling out in front of you or some such thing, but driving defensively cuts the chances of that happening down to single digit percentages.

I just gave myself an idea. My wife has a cargo net she never uses in her SUV. I think I'll see if I can string it between the seats.

The first few times riding in the new Bounder (our first MH), our pet, Frisco, was a little skiddish because of it being noisy and sways unlike our autos.  He has always enjoyed riding in the cars.  Recently, he has decided that all is okay, and his place (cave) is under the dinnette table between the benches.  This is where we hoped he would be, as we feel he is protected on three sides, and would not become a "100 pound missile" in case of an accident.

No animal is going to go through your front windshield like a missile in case of a sudden stop. You can't stop your RV quick enough for that to happen unless you crash into a brick wall. And if you crash into a brick wall your pets will be the least of your worries. 

Tom - I certainly don't want to be confrontational, but you have already stated that you thought this thread was silly, so why are you still commenting on it? Now you are stating that it is not possible for an animal to go through a windshield on a sudden stop. Maybe you feel that way because you have never seen it happen. I have, therefore, I respectfully disagree.

I just had my windshields replaced and the entire steel frame sandblasted due to rust permeating the entire frame. The mechanic who did the work told me I had a three inch spot on one side and a six inch spot on the other side hold each piece of glass in place and he was surprised they had not fallen out while driving down the road. Maybe now, it will difficult or impossible for one of my dogs to "go through the windshield", but prior to the replacement glass being put in, I think not.

You are correct in the respect that more likely than not, a dog will hit the dashboard rather than the windshield if they have been lying on the floor. In terms of injury, the results will be the same for the pet, and for that reason the phrase "going through the windshield" is more of a rhetorical statement rather than a statement of fact. However, a lot depends of the size of the dog and its position during a sudden stop or crash. Many smaller dogs are held on a passenger's lap or stay on top of the dashboard as they are driven down the road. If a pet is above floor level for any reason, they can become a flying object.

I'm not as concerned about crashing into a brick wall as I am crashing into an idiot who doesn't know how to drive, pulls out and then slams on his brakes right in front of me.

John Stephens said:

Tom - I certainly don't want to be confrontational...

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If you don't want to be confrontational then what are you being?

some people live life in a constant fear that an accident may happen, and so they travel through life strapped down with a seatbelt .....


surviving life.......is not the same as living life.

TonyDtorch said:

some people will live their whole life wearing a seatbelt or a life jacket .....they live life in a constant fear that an accident may happen.

surviving life.......is not the same as living life.

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I have had a seat belt on my entire life in a car or a motorhome, but never in a bus. It is not constant fear, it is the law.

SeilerBird said:

I have had a seat belt on my entire life in a car or a motorhome, but never in a bus. It is not constant fear, it is the law.

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It isn't always a law........many of the pre 1968 cars and trucks I drive don't even have seat belts....and none of my motorcycles do...

TonyDtorch said:

It isn't always a law........many of the pre 1968 cars and trucks I drive don't even have seat belts....and none of my motorcycles do...

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And seat belts aren't required in buses and shuttles. And pets aren't required to have seat belts on by law either.