Ask Me Help Desk - Why do some uncaring dog owners not drive with their dog safely?

I have tried asking this, but learned the danger in the way you word words.
There are some people who do love their dog and put them in a vehicle with a safety belt on. Many companies, okay, some companies make safety belts for dogs. They make them for different sizes and breeds. They are made so the animal owner's that really love their dog(s), use these 'dog belts' to safely travel with their dog.
I am happy to have learned that there are some dog owner's that really love their dogs and use these safety belts to protect their dog.
Now for those dog owner's who do not, why? If you love your dog, why do you just throw them in your car with no care to how they may be injured? No thought to how you can spend a small amount of money to buy a very safe mechanism. Why?

I certainly don't think it's a case of being uncaring. I think it's a case of lack of knowledge. Why do so many people ride around with out a seatbelt? Surely these folks are not suicidal. They just do not realize the graveness of their choices.

I travel with my dog in a crate. Not only does it protect him in case of collision but it also protects him from unwittingly escaping when a door is opened or a window is down and something/one lures him out, prevents him from joining me in the drivers area, I can have all the windows rolled down to prevent a build up of heat and prevents unwanted hands grabbing at him.

I have to give my two cents on people traveling with their dogs in the back of pickup trucks. While I am sure dogs LOVE it, and I am sure the 99% of the time nothing bad happens, the one percent of the time some untimely accident occurs the dog has no chance at all. Not only in the case of an accident but also around here people steal dogs, I don't know if they are selling them for experiments, turning them into puppy mills or just plain mean, it happens. A wagging tail in the back of a truck makes for an easy target.

I know a lot of trainers and hunters that have boxes made for the back end of a pick up and the dog gets to ride in the back, they get to enjoy the fresh air, but the boxes are bolted down and the dogs are usually locked up to prevent theft.

But once again, I never think it's a case of uncaring or abuse. People can easily get defensive, when it's more productive to provide reasons an animal should not be loose in the back of a truck or inside a car.

Quote:

Originally Posted by keligrn

I certainly dont think its a case of being uncaring. I think its a case of lack of knowledge. Why do so many people ride around with out a seatbelt? Surely these folks are not suicidal. They just do not realize the graveness of their choices.

I travel with my dog in a crate. Not only does it protect him in case of collision but it also protects him from unwittingly escaping when a door is opened or a window is down and something/one lures him out, prevents him from joining me in the drivers area, I can have all the windows rolled down to prevent a build up of heat and prevents unwanted hands grabbing at him.

I have to give my two cents on people traveling with their dogs in the back of pickup trucks. While I am sure dogs LOVE it, and I am sure the 99% of the time nothing bad happens, the one percent of the time some untimely accident occurs the dog has no chance at all. Not only in the case of an accident but also around here people steal dogs, I dont know if they are selling them for experiments, turning them into puppy mills or just plain mean, it happens. A wagging tail in the back of a truck makes for an easy target.

I know a lot of trainers and hunters that have boxes made for the back end of a pick up and the dog gets to ride in the back, they get to enjoy the fresh air, but the boxes are bolted down and the dogs are usually locked up to prevent theft.

But once again, I never think its a case of uncaring or abuse. People can easily get defensive, when it's more productive to provide reasons why an animal should not be loose in the back of a truck or inside a car.

Very well put. Uncaring is being harsh, but if they are not uncaring, why is it that they make sure all other people are safely belted in, but not their dog? I just do not understand why some people throw their dog in the car, not safely securing them. Not only that, but leave them alone sitting in the vehicle while they go and enjoy their day. Is it really that hard to pay to take a dog to a doggy day care? Can't afford it? Why get a dog? Why don't people think of the whole cost and care of a dog, or other pet, before they purchase one?
With the back of pick ups, why is it so hard to let the dog in the front? I have seen very gruesome outcome of dogs due to people sticking them in a the back of a pick up. From what I've seen, I will never find it 'okay' to put the dogs there.

Why don't I use a seatbelt for my dog?
Number one... she's a greyhound, and it's hard to find harnesses that fit their rather unique shape, much less seatbelts.
Number two, I have a Celica, and to be quite honest, when she gets in and lays down, she pretty much takes up the whole seat. So there's not a lot of space for her to get thrown around in. Plus she is a nice, quiet, sedate dog, who curls up for her trips, not one that is moving around a lot.
And number three... I don't know that companies actually test their doggie seatbelts to make sure that they don't cause more injuries than they prevent. Some of the ones that I've seen seem more likely to concentrate the stresses of a sudden stop onto a very narrow piece of webbing, which seems like a bad idea to me.
And number four... generally I've only taken her for very short trips, where the odds of getting into an accident aren't that high.

Now, I am thinking about getting one because of a trip I am making in the near future, where numbers two and four are no longer true. But I am still worried about numbers 1 and 3. That's why I go shopping this weekend.

Quote:

Originally Posted by svatnsdal

I have tried asking this, but learned the danger in the way you word words.
There are some people who do love their dog and put them in a vehicle with a safety belt on. Many companies, okay, some companies make safety belts for dogs. They make them for different sizes and breeds. They are made so the animal owner's that really love their dog(s), use these 'dog belts' to safely travel with their dog.
I am happy to have learned that there are some dog owner's that really love their dogs and use these safety belts to protect their dog.
Now for those dog owner's who do not, why? If you love your dog, why do you just throw them in your car with no care to how they may be injured? No thought to how you can spend a small amount of money to buy a very safe mechanism. Why?

Svatnsdal, you make an important point. I do agree with other replies about the safety of dog seatbelts that are on the market. I have an 80lb black lab who loves car rides. My husband and I got him a harness, as we are certainly concerned for his safety, but he just got all tangled in it, and it didn't seem that it would protect him much. I am curious about what brand you picked, and what size dog you have? I think dog safety belts work very well for smaller dogs (a friend of mine actually got a kids booster seat to strap her JRT mix into),but for larger dogs they don't seem as useful. I'd love to find one that would work well and that had been tested!

Cause they're dogs, they're in the car a lot less then people and as said above a lot of people don't even know a dog seat belt (or harness) exists...

I have an eight month old puppy who absolutely goes crazy when I get her into her safety harness she hates it and gets out of it very easily. I understand what you are saying about loving your animal. I love her like she is my child but what do I do?

I have a 150lbs Bernese Mountain Dog/Rottweiler mix, who is made up of pure muscle. I had purchased the largest harness on the market, and he barely fit in it. It almost suffocated him every time he was in the car.

This is why my vet does NOT recommend these 'safety belts':

I was driving along one day and had to make a quick stop, as a biker swerved into my lane after losing control of his bike. So I had to slam on the brakes. My dog jolted forward and the harness tightened up. He let out one small whimper and he could barely breathe. I pulled over to take a look at him, and he was making a wheezing sound and his eyes were blood shot. I took him to the emergency veterinary clinic on the other side of the city, and the vet there told me that the harness CRUSHED HIS TRACHEA, AND THAT HE'D REQUIRE EXTENSIVE PAINFUL SURGERY TO REPAIR IT. Of course I went ahead with the surgery, and $4800 later he is back to normal. Although he cannot be in the heat, because it hurts him to pant. The vet said that he had seen that same issue numerous times and that he thinks those harnesses are not made for large dogs.

I learned my lesson, and my baby does not sport one of these so-called 'safety' harnesses anymore.

This reminds me to get one for my sweet baby. Thanks.I'll order it in the morning. I haven't yet and it chills me to think of what could happen in an auto accident. Also, I know that since he is well under the 60 pound weight requirement, he shouldn't be in the front seat with me because of the airbag. Yikes. I appreciate the reminder.