Crash-tested cages and harnesses - a summary

[haydnw2]

Hi all. We've just got our first California, and I've been looking at ways to safely transport our hound. I think we've settled on the Ruffwear "Load Up" harness, but with so many options out there I thought it might be helpful to write up what I found in case it's of use to anyone else in future. My focus was on finding products which have been crash tested, to ensure everyone's safety when out-and-about. Here's the link:

Safe car transport options for dogs

I've recently been looking for a method of safely transporting our dog in our campervan.

www.haydnwilliams.com

 

[MattBW]

I had a conversation with someone from emergency services, he told me enough of his experiences to make sure I will never put secure a dog in the boot area of a hatchback. Back seat all the way for mine with a harness of course.

Great article thanks for sharing.

 

[Amarillo]

I have often wondered how many of the motoring fatalities each year are attributed to pets.

Any figures?

 

[Hotel California]

We had ours secured behind the rear seat with metal separation in a dogcage or in a harnass depending on the car when we took our Vizsla allong for over 12y .
I think a dog would be very lucky to survive a serious car accident anyway , but think about a 20kg dog getting smashed against the back of your seat....it's not allone for the dog but also and most important for yourself !
As with many safety products there are diffrences in quality but important is to use them correct .

 

[Legin]

I think your wrong that only a couple of screws stop that cali tie down from moving. The two rod sections engage with the teeth in the seat rails to stop this, the two screws just hold it in place whilst the bolt is tightened.

I take your point on the rest as most people dont understand the momentum generated by a rapid acceleration or deceleration.
A friend had a stainless steel kitchen sink in the back of his Honda accord. When he hit the stationery car in front the sink cut the front passenger seat almost in half , fortunately no one sat in it.

 

[BeagleMum]

I had a conversation with someone from emergency services, he told me enough of his experiences to make sure I will never put secure a dog in the boot area of a hatchback. Back seat all the way for mine with a harness of course.

Great article thanks for sharing.

Totally agree Ours are always on the back secured by harness seat never in the boot

 

[Ch1pbutty]

We use a harness into the seatbelt on the back seat; he keeps our son company.

 

[haydnw2]

I think your wrong that only a couple of screws stop that cali tie down from moving.

Thanks - I'l take a look.

Of those using harnesses at the moment, I'm curious as to what proportion of people are using products (harnesses and attachment points) which are crash tested? Sorry to harp on about it, but it terrifies me that lots of people think their dogs are safe simply because they're in a harness, when the reality is that using one without any kind of strength rating or crash testing is essentially useless:

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Ours is crash tested:

Safety Tested Vehicle Harness

store.ezydog.com

 

[haydnw2]

Ours is crash tested

That looks good - anything with a maglock gets my vote!

I'm also curious whether anyone has seen any harness testing with dogs (dummies) lying down? Ours definitely will not sit up for the entire journey.

 

[janross]

I have the Sleepypod Clickit Sport crashed tested harness for my three pups. The seatbelt threads through the loops at the back of the harness. It is light and good for walking really easy to use. The Centerforpetsafety has some videos of what to expect if you crash, not sure if any updates are available. Most products on the market are not safe including crates as they simply shatter or break apart.

Clickit Sport

A safety harness for the car and everyday use. Patented designed reduces and distributes harmful forces in the event of a collision. Proven to be one of the safest dog safety harnesses available. Clickit Sport was rigorously tested to include the same dynamic crash testing that ensures the...

sleepypod.com

2013 Harness Crash Test Videos - Center for Pet Safety

www.centerforpetsafety.org

Clickit Sport is packed with state of the art technology that makes it light and easy to use without sacrificing safety.

The Infinity Loop webbing design, in combination with a padded vest, seat belt grade straps, and stress tested buckles, work together to distribute and reduce damaging forces that can cause injury in a car collision.

Three points of contact reduce forward and lateral movement in a collision or sudden stop.

No additional accessories or straps needed. Requires just the seat belt in the rear seat of the vehicle.

Can also be used as a walking harness.

Clickit Sport can be augmented with S-Clip and Buckle Shield.

 

[BeagleMum]

Thanks - I'l take a look.

Of those using harnesses at the moment, I'm curious as to what proportion of people are using products (harnesses and attachment points) which are crash tested? Sorry to harp on about it, but it terrifies me that lots of people think their dogs are safe simply because they're in a harness, when the reality is that using one without any kind of strength rating or crash testing is essentially useless:

Car safety for our dogs has always been a huge concern for us.
We bought Eaydog Drive Harnesses for our Beagles but they didn’t work for us.
We couldn’t get the fit right for the smaller of our two dogs. The small size was too small the medium too large. Our other Beagle was very uncomfortable sitting up in hers, she preferred lying down. However she actually got herself out of this harness quite quickly, after she’d done this a third time we consigned it to the cupboard.

Thanks - I'l take a look.

Of those using harnesses at the moment, I'm curious as to what proportion of people are using products (harnesses and attachment points) which are crash tested? Sorry to harp on about it, but it terrifies me that lots of people think their dogs are safe simply because they're in a harness, when the reality is that using one without any kind of strength rating or crash testing is essentially useless:

Car safety for our dogs has always been a huge concern for us.
We bought Eaydog Drive Harnesses for our Beagles but they didn’t work for us.
We couldn’t get the fit right for the smaller of our two dogs. The small size was too small the medium too large. Our other Beagle was very uncomfortable sitting up in hers, she preferred lying down. However she actually got herself out of this harness quite quickly, after she’d done this a third time we consigned it to the cupboard, so that was £150 down the drain.
Currently using Ruffwear harnessess but considering the Clickit model. We need a safe harness that will allow them to lie down so they are comfortable particularly on long distances.