Dog Car Seat Failure.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Jack and I just had the scare of both of our lives. We were driving to do some errands, Jack was in the backseat in his booster seat that sits in the center of the back of my car. The booster seat was seat belted in and he was attached by harness to the booster seat.

 I have a Honda CRV. We were on a back road.. I was going about 45-50 mph. The person in front of me slammed on their brakes as a response to the car in front of them. I slammed on my brakes and Jack who was in a booster seat.. went flying like a 10 pound sack of potatoes up against my windshield of my car..he hit it full force and then was thrown under the dash board of the passenger side car....the little strap that was from the booster seat completely came out from the seam of the booster seat right where it was sewn in... When I say it didn't even slow Jack down, I am serious, it was as if it was not secured at all but rather tucked in. 

I immediately got out of the car...and Jack was knocked out.... I picked him up and he started panting really heavy... He didn't yelp or anything just panted heavy...He was only out for what I would guess less then a minute..

My vet was the closest place to bring him.... they took him right back, he has concussion but other then that he is okay. He has thrown up a few times. I have to check his pupils every hour or so to make sure they are responded right and if not I need to bring him to emergency...

Right now he seems okay, just nervous.. (who wouldn't be if they were just smashed into a windshield) My vet said to get rid of the booster seat totally, to write a letter to the company of the booster seat and to try a different means of strapping him in. The more high up they are the more likely they are to be ejected.....also because he was in the center, which I assumed was the safest afterall that is where we they tell you to put babies, he didn't even have a seat to slow him down or to brace him.

I still can't believe what I saw with my eyes... I am sure he is fine but please learn from us, we were not even on a major highway like we usually are where the speed limit is 70MPH just a country back road.... Please find safe measures to keep your baby from being ejected, had he weighed more, no doubt, he would have broken my windshield and who knows what would have happen to him, Please don't wait till it happens to you....I think he is going to be just fine, but I will never trust another dog carseat..

THe other harness that you can buy that strap to the carseat without the booster are too long and they will leave Jack hanging if I stopped short.. which I suppose is better then the windshield but I would like an even better more safe way. Jack is almost always in the car with me, it is rare that he isn't.. I seriously am going to see if he will tolerate a regular kids carseat.. I don't know about him sitting like that though if he will stay.. 

I read on here not that long ago, but a while ago, someone else making a plea to make sure your dogs were for sure safe in a car.. I didn't listen I just assumed...

Again, Jack is fine minus a concussion but seeing something you love so much thrown up against a windshield  knowing that they fully rely on you to keep them safe made me feel like an epic failure.

[DJ & Chance]

So glad that both of you are okay.  How frightening!  I now have worries about my booster seat, which is strapped in with a seat belt.  There should be some reliable crash test standard for these things.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Jacks was belted in with a seat belt to...it tip side ways in spite of being belted in and also the strap to attach the harness to just completely came undone. Jack was 15 pounds today his cars eat should have been safe for dogs even as big as 25 pounds or more.

[Christine & Shelby]

OMD... how scary.  So sorry this happened to the two of you.  I hope Jack is feeling back to his regular doodle self really soon. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

OMD, how horrible! I really hope Jack is okay and back to his usual self very quickly!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Oh Jen, that is scary. Definitely call the company and see what they say. The strap was faulty obviously. Well, you two get some rest and keep us posted?

[Donna K & Quincy]

Jen I am so relieved to know that you and Jack are ok, that must have been really scary. Give him a gentle hug from us and consider yourself hugged too. Please update us tomorrow to let us know how you and Jack do overnight. I really am going to have to rethink this seat belt issue.

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

Do you buckle Hattie in the middle of the back seat or can it be used on the side seats as well.  Bailey loves to look out the window..No head out the window..just looking out. My back windows only go down a 1/3 of the way for safety reasons.  And mostly the air is on and they are closed...

[Jennifer and Jack]

Thank you very much, we will be ordering this ASAP.  I think you have posted this link before.... and of course me thinking we had a good set up ignored it..... not this time.

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

That's nice that Hattie just lays down. Monty sits by the window, then lays down, then turns around...grr. He won't be happy when strapped.

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

Gotcha. Monty loves to be in the car. Auggie used to throw up when he was little. He does follow me to the garage, but I still need to lift him into the cargo area. But he is very mellow in the car. He either lays down or sits and looks out of the back window. He won't have problems being buckled down. I'm guessing I just attach the harness to some cargo hooks back there?

[Jennifer and Jack]

Oops I erased the wrong post.. THank you everyone for understanding... Jack is acting just fine, He has vomited a few times but he now is intensely playing with a toy acting like nothing happen. I will still keep a close eye on him.

What I want you to know if for those who are saying " I always strap my dog in" So do I. Jack is never without fail strapped in, unless I am going around the block and not leaving my development.  He always has been strapped in. The Car Seat failed.. That is my point..... 

He was in a booster seat that was for a dog 25 plus pounds, The booster seat was seat belted in and he was strapped in to the booster with a harness according to their direction... The strap that was designed to hold him in came off totally like it was never even sealed in. It tore right at the seam.... I followed the instructions to the letter... 

I know most of you have dogs too big for boosters but I hope those of you with boosters will check yours at least.. I paid a lot of money for this booster and really felt confident he was okay... 

Nothing sucks more then seeing your dog who's safety you are completely responsible for hit the front of your windshield and then fall under the dashboard.... THey rely on us to keep them safe..  

Something I didn't do today.. We can't trust something just because it says carseat.... Thankfully no more harm was done then Jack having a sore head and nauseous.  

Thanks again for the loving words... I am trying not to be hard on myself for not checking this car seat better but I feel obligated to share our experience because I am convinced the boosters are dangerous.....at least ours was....Sure it was plush and comfortable that does no good when you are ejected from it. :)

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

I'm so sorry to hear what happened to you and Jack, thank goodness he will be alright!