RUN, DON'T WALK AND GET YOUR DOODLE A CAR HARNESS RESTRAINT SYSTEM!!

[Kate C Pappas]

 Yindi and I who were in an accident on Saturday on one of the busiest freeways in the world, Interstate 10 in the Los Angeles area. I rear ended a car and while I wasn't traveling at a high speed due to traffic, in a blink of an eye, it happened.

Thank G-d I was driving a big Escalade but it was totaled. I hope the other people in the accident will be OK and I'm still having nightmares about it.

Yindi was wearing her Champion K9 harness that is connected to a tether fastened to "U" shaped tie downs that protrude slightly from the rear seats where the seat belts are.

Within minutes of the accident there were more CHP officers on the scene than I could count. There were fire dept people and some EMTs there instantly.

They wanted to take me to a hospital there and then but I wouldn't go because of Yindi. I had to wait for DH. They had shut down the whole east bound I-10 Fwy so DH managed to work his way over to the shoulder and 'badge' the police to continue down to get to me.

They had to pry my driver's door open to get me out.

A lady behind me, stopped and gave her statement saying only that she saw the crash.

I was sobbing hysterically and she grabbed me and hugged me. It was so sweet and I don't even know her name.

Poor little Yindi was standing up, still tethered, trembling like a leaf. I got out my Lavender essential oil from her grooming bag, and gave her a massage. She trembled until DH got there and carried her to his car.

One of the young CHP officers even hugged me and kept repeating "it was an accident".

My car was towed away and I'll have to go down to the tow yard in the next day or so and get my things out of it. I took anything of value.

We then went to Cedars Sinai where I was checked out and ultra sounded to make sure there was no internal bleeding.

I'll be calling my own doctor's office today although right now she is vacationing in Israel. Wish that's where I was right now.

I feel horrible physically as I slammed my already wrecked knees, my chest, shoulders and neck hurt and I must have hit my head when the airbag deflated.

So PLEASE, seat belt your precious fur babies like you do for yourselves and your human children.

The CHP looked at Yindi in surprise saying in all his years of handling accidents, he'd never seen a dog in a car restrainy. She said she would have gone through the windshield!

[Camilla and Darwin]

We have a seat belt for Darwin and it gives me peace of mind, in case we ever did get in an accident. Glad that you and your pup are okay.

[Adina P]

How scary Kate!  I traveled with baby and Boca 4-5 hours away this weekend but when I got to my destination I realized Boca had undone her seatbelt!  I don't know how but she must have stepped on the latch and then the caribiner (sp?) pulled off the belt.  I have the same harness as you, but the belt has a caribiner that attaches to the seat belt--but apparently this was not a fool-proof system.  What is the U shaped thingy you have? Is it the latch system like for baby car seats?  And does Champion K9 make attachments for that?  Once baby #2 arrives there will rarely be a dog in the back of my car since there won't be room, but it would be good to know.

[Kate C Pappas]

On the Escalade, right where the seat belt (female part) is, there are 3 very heavy steel tie down type things that slightly protrude so as not to be uncomfortable to a human sitting there. I unscrew the caribiner all the way (that's how thick the  tie down is) and put it on there and leave it. That way when the dogs are not in the car, a human can use the seat belts.

My third row seats don't have that but I could put the tether (I have two short ones and two long ones) through the seat and attach it to the rear tie downs on the floorboard.

I also have a car seat and the tether strap to it, goes through the seat crack to the rear floor tie down. fortunately the car seat wasn't in the car or it would have had to be totaled and it's a $200.00 Britax!

[Kate C Pappas]

Sorry Adina that I didn't see this when you asked. Most cars now have a tether 'bolt' in the intersection of the rear seat where the back and seat part meet. You put the carabiner on that. The tether stays put and is left in the car. It also doesn't interfere with anyone using the seatbelt. I ordered a couple extra tethers to leave with my friend who watches the girls when I travel.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Wow, holy crap!  Glad to hear that you are ok, or going to be ok!  I'm so with you on this.  I'm very shocked to hear that the officer said he had never seen a dog restrained.  Our girls are always restrained with a very similar restraint to the one that you used, so glad to hear that it worked.  Just having her restrained so she didn't try and jump out when they got your door opened is even more reason to use it.  I've always wondered what the police would do with the dogs in the event of an accident and you had to be taken to the hospital immediately.  We keep a note in our glove box saying who to call to come get them in the event we are unable to speak for some reason.  Bottom line, I hope some others learn from your situation and start restraining their dogs.  Hope your bumps, bruises and soreness go away soon.  Glad that Yindi is ok as well.

[Leslie and Halas]

That's a good idea about the note in the glove box.

[Jennifer and Jack]

That is a great idea I will be putting a note in my glove box as well,

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

I agree

[Camilla and Darwin]

Good idea!

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

good idea; a note is going in my glove box tonight.

[Dori & Rua]

Program your cell phone so your emergency contact is ICE (in case of emergency).  Probably pays to have a 2nd ICE just in case (God forbid) both you and your spouse are together.  Police will pull your cell phones and look for an ICE contact.

[Kate C Pappas]

Wow! I have never heard of that! What a great idea!!!