Car Pet Restraints

by Courtney Mroch | More from this Blogger

03 Nov 2008 03:31 PM

Do you use a pet restraint when you take your dog or cat in the car with you? I'm wondering because a couple of weeks ago when I went with my friend Karen to the Nashville Humane Society (NHS) they had a variety of suggestions posted for taking care of your pet. One of them was to always make sure to restrain your pet while traveling in the car.

I don't restrain Murph at all when he's in the car with us. I do put both Tabby and Mr. Meow in their kitty carriers when I take them to the vet. (On the few road trips he's taken with us, I have given Mr. Meow the option of roaming free by unlatching his carrier door, though. Sometimes he's more content sitting with us, but when he gets bored he'll go back to his carrier.)

On the suggestion posted at the NHS, they mentioned how restraining a pet can help to prevent serious injuries in case of a car accident. That brought to mind Jayzee, the dog with wheels Murph has met a couple times at the park. She lost the use of her back legs thanks to a car accident.

Seeing as how drivers are more and more distracted from the task of driving these days (not only by cell phones, but by GPS navigation systems and other kinds of computerized car gadgets), I thought it'd be a good idea to investigate some pet restraint systems. (I've had a bunch of near misses lately that have made me a wee bit paranoid.)

Types of Pet Restraints

Below are all types of pet restraint devices that I found from, you guessed it, one of my most favorite pet product suppliers: Doctors Foster and Smith.

1. Carriers: For cats and smaller dogs, carriers are pretty convenient. They come in all sorts of styles, too, from soft-sided varieties like the Soft-Sided Kennel Cab, to the Deluxe Pet Tote, to the more traditional type Kennel Cab hard-sided carrier.
2. Harnesses: Harnesses are another way to restrain your pet during travel. (Primarily dogs. I think I'd pay to see a picture of a cat cooperating with a harness system!) Doctors Foster and Smith sells several varieties including the Safety Harness, Pet Vehicle Seat Restraint, and the Auto Zip Line.
3. Booster Seats: Smaller dogs can ride in the comfort of their own seat "boxes" which also boost them up for a better view out of the window. The three Doctors Foster and Smith sell are the Pet Booster Seat, the Lookout II, and the Boost-Me-Up Car Seat. Most of these also seem to have safety clips built into them that attach to either the dog's collar or harness.
4. Barriers: Barrier restraint systems are great for bigger dogs who would be more comfortable riding in the hatchback part of a vehicle, but who are prone to jumping seats. To keep them safely harbored in the back, barriers like the Net Pet Barrier or Euro Barrier-Aire or Barrie-Aire (both of which come in various sizes to fit all size SUVs, sedans, mini-vans, sub-compacts, and sedans) are ideal.

Courtney Mroch writes about animals great and small in Pets and the harmony and strife that encompasses married life in Marriage. For a full listing of her articles click here.

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Learn more about Courtney Mroch

Courtney Mroch is a wife, a proud pet parent, and a writer. She's been with her husband, high school sweetheart Wayne Pryor, over 20 years, married 11 of those. She's "mom" to Mr. Meow, a.k.

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mcmama (51978) 04 Nov 2008 12:16 AM

Catzilla had his choice of a small or large carrier when we moved. I also made him wear a leash for the whole trip - if he bolted on a litter break, I wanted to have something to grab onto. I also seat belted the carriers into the car. His idea of showing displeasure was to howl and rock the carrier. There is a crack now in the top of the small one.

The door on the large one was loose, and he shook it so he got out, and I was glad he was wearing a leash, because when he decided to scale the windows and then jump onto the dashboard I had something to grab onto and pull before he took the wheel. 15 pounds of him jumping on the dashboard and aiming to spring at me. I think he wanted me to stop the car in no uncertain terms. Trouble was, we were on I65 southbound in the left lane.

By the way, he was on medication. He was supposed to be a happy kitty.

I have to get a new carrier for him - something in between sizes that isn't so easy to spring by rocking. The next time he goes any long distance with me in the car will be for hurricane evacuation, which I hope is never.

Courtney Mroch (9169) 04 Nov 2008 08:29 AM

Okay, so after I'm now done coughing because your comment got me to laughing so hard, Janet, I can write this is now my favorite Catzilla story. He broke his crate? (Well, cracked it. That counts as breaking doesn't it?) SO HYSTERICAL! And the image of him scaling the windows and getting on the dashboard....oh my gosh. That cat of yours is a freaking riot!!!! Thanks for the belly laugh to start my morning off right. ;)