Protect Your Pooch: Car Pet Safety
It takes twenty minutes for you to realize anything else exists when you get home from work every evening because you are too busy being worshipped by that whole body wiggling and spinning in awkward momentum with it’s tail - also known as the tornado. PetsMart cashiers know you by name when they ask how little Roscoe liked that Hide-A-Treat ball you picked up for him on his birthday last month, and they laugh knowingly as you explain the adorable demon destroyed that “indestructible” toy like it was a cotton swab. That little fuzz ball just might be the love of your life (sorry, honey). So these canine-friendly car safety concerns spamming your news feed lately might be making you lose a little sleep (amidst those soft puppy snores coming from the corner of the bed - again, sorry, honey).
Admittedly, one of the reasons I chose to write this blog was so I could find a ton of adorable puppies in cars.
Allow us to help! Pick up several canine-friendly safety tips for the road from our own list:
1. No Shot Gun for Shotsie! - Vehicle airbag safety systems were created to keep humans safe, not dogs. When they deploy, it could be at speeds high enough to literally end your pooch. It’s hard to make road trips without him happily hanging his head out the window and lapping up the passing air, but it’s for the best that they be enjoying the view in the back seat.
Pet seat belts are available to secure your pet in the back seat, where they are safe from the force deploying air bags in the case of an accident.
2. Secure Sable - Familiar with the chaotic traffic of Atlanta? All of that speed-up, quickly slow-down, swerve to avoid that lovely gentleman that just cut you off from three lanes over? That kind of motion can do some severe damage to anything that isn’t tied down - especially a small body that isn’t sure whether they should sit, stand, or run around the car in circles barking at every passing pick-up. Investing in a pet carrier, pet seat belt, or car barrier is worth the life of your lab, and will help prevent you from being distracted. (Check out how to use a harness with a seat belt.)
Pet car barriers can help keep your pets safe from getting tossed around in the car.
3. Distract Doby - Everyone is a safer driver when their patience hasn’t been thinned by a very vocal dog warning other cars in traffic that these four wheels are his territory. Bringing long-lasting chew toys are a great way to calm down your canine and distract them from passing prey. A lot of experts specifically recommend a hollowed-rubber toy stuffed with cheese, peanut butter, or other treats your pet enjoys. Put that persistence to work elsewhere!
This method of securing your puppy doesn't look according to American Humane Society's suggestion...
4. Drug Dottie - My poor Shadow, a beagle-aussie mix, was a terrible road trip buddy. The little thing got so car sick and anxious he would shriek, whine, and well - it was rarely a pleasant trip. Our veterinarian recommended children’s motion sickness meds, hidden in a teaspoon of peanut butter. Shadow was a little groggy, but he kept a little more hair, and we kept a little more sanity. Check with your vet to get suggestions on what to use for your pup’s car sickness or anxiety, especially on long trips.
Some vendors sell water bottles that can be attached to a door handle and used like a hamster or guinea pig would.
5. Gear Up for … What’s a dog name that starts with G? … Some amenities are a necessary evil. You may feel comfortable with the 82-degree AC, but it’s likely Rover is already a little anxious, shedding, panting, and sweating. Pets frequently overheat themselves under stress, so it’s an absolute necessity that they have water available. Smaller pets can be trained to drink water from larger bottles similar to those used for hamsters and guinea pigs (in my experience, the cheaper they are, they more they leak). Some genius extraordinaire out there also figured out how to develop a spill-proof water bowl, so there are definitely options available.
It took far too long to come up with the concept of a multi-layered spill-proof bowl. Do they have these for kids too?
6. Never, Ever, under ANY circumstance, leave your pet in the car alone. On a hot day in Georgia, it takes less than ten minutes for a vehicle to reach 120F with the windows partially open (ask our sales people). That’s a death sentence to your beloved. It’s also a felony. Obviously you wouldn’t want to leave your car running without you in it either, so finding another solution is truly a necessity. If you need to run in somewhere and there’s no one to keep the pup company, you could simply explain the situation to the patron. Since the passing of the animal cruelty act, a lot of businesses (ours, for example) are understanding and will find some way to help you get what you need without abandoning your animal.
In Georgia, when heat rarely ventilates due to the humidity, even leaving windows open partially could still endanger the life of your dog.
Summer road trips don’t have to mean a kennel for your canine - you can easily find ways to safely travel with your best friend! Please remember to keep them hydrated, and as always, enjoy it!
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