I have an embarrassing admission to make — although I consider myself a responsible and loving dog owner and go to great lengths to ensure the safety and health of Hope, my 70-pound, yellow-lab mix best friend, I had never used a pet harness on her when we traveled by car, until recently. She’s over five … years, not months. I know, I know, not very smart, but it just hadn’t occurred to me.
Of course I had always buckled up my son and myself (please give me some points for that). Why didn’t this translate to buckling up my dog? I can try and rationalize and say that it’s because Hope’s always been great in the car; in other words, she doesn’t jump around or cause any distractions, well, unless she happens to see another dog passenger next to us, and then she might stick her head out the window and bark. But she would never try to jump in the front seat.

And, we generally go on short trips — to the vet, the groomer, the pet store — no big deal, right? I’m a safe driver; in fact, knock wood, I’ve never been in a crash. So what changed my mind?

A co-worker told me a story about how one day she was making a quick trip to the store with her kids, one riding in the back seat and the other in the front, both using their seat belts of course, and their 80-pound Doberman Pinscher, also riding in the back seat, unrestrained. Someone ran a stop sign and she had to slam on the brakes. The dog was propelled into the front seat. Luckily, no one was hurt, just badly shaken, but from that moment on, she used a safety harness for her dog.

After I heard her story, I did some research, and the results were sobering.  For example, I learned that in an accident, a 60-pound dog can cause an impact of 2,700 pounds, slamming into a car seat, a windshield, or another passenger! Or, something else I never thought about, after a car accident, unrestrained pets sometimes run away because they’re frightened or, even if they’re normally friendly, they may attack strangers who are trying to help. I immediately began using a safety harness on Hope whenever we traveled, no matter how near or far.

The first time I used the harness, I wasn’t sure how Hope would react. She can be stubborn when she wants to be. Well, I couldn’t have been more proud of her. I’m sure you love your dog as much as I love Hope, so don’t feel guilty if you haven’t been using a safety harness or other appropriate restraint when you travel with your pet — just get the facts, and have a safe trip!

See Hope wearing her safety harness in the car for the first time.
Click here for more AAA tips on traveling with your pet.