Every
day, millions of pet parents participate in a routine activity that
is needlessly putting their dogs at risk of injury or even death,
animal welfare officials warn.
This
function is so common that some pet parents and dogs do it several
times a day. They do it when they go to the park, visit the
veterinarian and the run errands.
The
activity that 83 percent of pet parents do that is putting their dog
in harm's way is driving without their properly restraining their
companion.
An
estimated 30,000 car accidents occur each year because people travel
with unrestrained dogs, according to Bark Buckle Up, an organization
that promotes the use of safety belts for pets.
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"Safety
belts can only work if you use them ... Like people, pets need to
buckle up when in the car - but that takes the owner's help,"
Christina Selter, the organization's founder states in a media
release.
An
unrestrained dog involved in an accident is at great risk of injury
or death, and it can also be a threat to others, Ms. Selter
explained. "In a 35 mile-per-hour accident, a 60-pound dog
becomes a 2,700-pound projectile."
An
unrestrained dog involved in an accident is likely to get hurt, be
frightened and attempt to flee, which can result in danger to the pet
and others such as first responders and rescue workers, Ms. Selter
said. "Most accidents injure the pet. Unrestrained, they can
bite the first responder on a scene or cause a second accident when
fleeing an accident."
A
rambunctious, unrestrained pet also can distract the driver, making
an accident more likely, safety officials say, yet most people drive
with their dogs unrestrained. According to a survey by AAA and Kurgo,
a maker of pet travel products, only 17 percent use any form of pet
restraint system when driving with their dog.
Other
findings of the AAA/Kurgo survey include:
- 80 percent of dog owners say they take their pet along on leisure trips, to do errands and to places like the pet store, dog parks and to work.
- 31 percent admit to being distracted by their dog while driving.
- 59 percent say they have been involved in distracting activities with their dog while driving.
- 55 percent have patted their dog while driving.
- 21 percent have allowed their dog to sit in their lap.
- 7 percent give food and water to their dog while driving.
- 5 percent play with their dog while driving.
These
behaviors can distract the driver and increase the risk of a crash,
AAA says. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that looking
away from the road for only two seconds doubles your risk of being in
a crash.
Of
the 17 percent of drivers who restraint their pets, the survey found:
52 percent use a pet harness/safety belt; 28 percent use a hard-sided
pet travel crate; 18 percent use a pet vehicle seat; 13 percent use a
soft-sided pet travel crate; 9 percent use a vehicle pet barrier.
The
survey found that most drivers - 54 percent - put their dogs in the
back seat during trips. Other locations in the vehicle include: front
seat, 26 percent; rear cargo area, 17 percent; pickup truck bed, 2
percent.
AAA
warns that the airbag system in a vehicle can be deadly to a dog
during a crash if it is sitting in the front seat, even if
restrained.
Dogs
USA magazine advises pet parents to restrain their dogs in the back
seat when driving. Pet parents have several options to help reduce
the risk of injuries to their dogs when traveling, including the use
of travel crates and pet harnesses. Crates should be large enough for
a dog to stand up and change position, and secured in the vehicle’s
back seat.
Related reports about dogs and travel:
This common activity can injure - even kill - your pet
Holiday travel can be dangerous - even deadly - for pets
More reports about dogs and safety
Living room item cause most pet injuries
In emergency, your pet's survival depends on you
No ID means death for 800,000 pets a year
Protect your pet from theft and torture
Pets capable of swallowing strange objects
Ways to keep pets safe in storms, disasters
The Ruff Report's dogs and safety Home Page
“No
one plans on having another car run a red light or having a tire blow
out, but these and other accidents happen every day, and they can and
do injure and kill unrestrained dogs,” Dogs
USA group
editor Ernie Slone states in a media release. “We would never take
such a risk with a child, so why would we want to do so with a
beloved pet?’’
------
The Ruff Report is a column that appears on MySetterSam.com,
a blog written by Joseph A. Reppucci, a retired editor from The Patriot
Ledger in Quincy, Massachusetts. Mr. Reppucci worked as a reporter and editor on major daily
newspapers in the Boston area for more than 30 years. He is the author
of the book, The Hunt of Her Life,
a heartwarming story about his once-in-a-lifetime rescue dog. Find it on Amazon.com.
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