Seatbelt safety for your Friend.

Wearing seatbelts in cars have been compulsory in my country for 40 years now. Restraining pets in a moving vehicle isn't compulsory in all states.Only one in fact and not in my State of Tasmania. I've wondered about this for a long time, so I've just ordered a dog restraint on eBay. Does anyone else use them and is it law in your home town to restrain animals in a passenger vehicle?

 

Nope, there’s no seatbelt law for dogs in our country. And I don’t think it should be required to dogs because dogs react faster than human. When there’s accident they could easily jump to the back of the car or out of the window to do some rescuing but not when they’re in seatbelts. Their movements will be restrained. Or even not in emergency situation. Unless they are trained to release themselves from their seatbelts, I believe it would irritate them when the car stops and they are excited to move out and there they have to wait for their owner to release them from the girdle. Anyway, I think they would sit still even without seatbelts IF they are used to travelling. If not, they better sit on the back seat. Just my opinion, though.

 

It was right that there is no seat belt rule her for dogs and I do not think someone had thought of having one in here already.

 

Mishka is not very well trained for car travel so we tie her with a lead in the back seat anyway. If we came to a sudden stop I would be afraid of choking her. So this is why I have considered a restraining device. It is now compulsory to restrain a dog on the back of a ute or what you may know as a pickup. Nationally 5,000 dogs are injured and a lot killed by being thrown, jumping etc.from the vehicle.
http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/documents/Biosecurity_AnimalWelfareAndEthics/Dogs-in-Utes.pdf

 

I should have thought of the ones like Marley who enjoys the surroundings he’s seeing outside the car that even if the car is moving, he tried to get out from the window. If the owner is not alert to keep them still, yes, the dog will get himself harmed, or worst, would face its death. If the dog can't be controlled, either apply with him the restraining device or the car windows should be kept shut.

 

Growing up I had two small dogs. You can see one Rosie pictured in my avatar. Anyhow neither of our dogs had harnesses and to be honest they weren't as popular and as advertised as they are now. Normally if there were at least two people in the car the passenger would hold on to the dogs.

Although I'll admit on occasion my mother very naughtily let Rosie sit on her lap while driving. Thankfully we never had an accident. I remember driving past cop cars and my mother telling Rosie "down" reminding her not to pop her head up or lean on the window.

I personally think dog harnesses are a great idea if dogs don't mind them.

 

We don't restrain ours either. That would likely freak him out. He does sit calmly and go where he's told to. I know that won't necessarily protect him in an accident, but he rarely goes with us and it's already enough of an anxiety without being able to sit/lay as he chooses.

 

I'm still waiting on the harness to arrive which I bought on the internet.
On occasions I have not set the length of Mishka's lead correct and she will get into the front of the car and sit on the handbrake between the seats. On other occasions if left briefly in the car without her lead she has this annoying habit of getting on the floor on the drivers side and wont budge without dragging her out or tersely speaking to her. Not very car disciplined at all. So I think having a purpose made restraint should overcome some problems and keep the driver in a safer mode. She does stay home much more often than going out so I guess this has not helped the situation.