Here We Go Again----- Seat Belts

[F, Calla & Luca]

I thought this was thought provoking, especially the part about testing of restraints. My dogs stay calmly in the back seat. Although I have restraints I do not use them but I know many people would be critical of my decision.

http://www.care2.com/causes/are-doggy-seat-belts-really-safe-for-yo...

[Christine & Camus]

I turn the harness around so that the connector is on Camus back and the swivel connectors eliminate any tangling.  I realize it may not be the best  (straps on the harness) but it is the option I am most comfortable with.  I have had to stop short a couple of times and this setup has kept him from being thrown into the back of the front seats.  He is a big boy, currently weighs 83 lbs and has not had any cuts or bruising from the harness.  IMO he is safer with it on than without and thus far it has worked well.  Perhaps new options will become available, I'm open to new ideas. 

[Rachel and Ollie]

I use Ollie's walking harness and then a strap I bought at petsmart... It is like a very small leash that loops through the seatbelt and hooks on his harness. It's too short to strangle him, but I didn't think about it breaking.

[Mimi Linna, Lilly and Lolly]

[Mimi Linna, Lilly and Lolly]

Here is Lilly in her doggy car seat and harness. I am a bad mom and usually let her sit on my lap while my husband drives. However, this trip was going to be in the middle of winter for three days driving each way. We tried putting her in a crate the last time we hit the road but she cried and carried on so, I took her out and let her sit on my lap because I did not have wine with me. The car seat/harness worked great. She could see out or lay down when she wanted to sleep. We were blessed with good weather and did not have any problems. (thank you Jesus) would she have survived a crash? I don't know but I know she would do better in the back seat then on my lap.

[Julie and Charlie]

Charlie has a car harness (which one, I do not know), but from the looks of it, I don't see how he could be strangled in the harness if in an impact. In addition, the back seat is quite close to the front seat, and the tether isn't all that long. My only concern is is he'll end up with a broken leg. But I think that would be a small price to pay instead of flying through the windshield.

Also, the article isn't quite forthcoming about the Oregon statute. ORS 811.200 only addresses a dog on an external part of the vehicle, such as in the back of a pickup truck.

[F, Calla & Luca]

That's the kind of thing the NJ law addresses.

[Ginny Nightingale]

I have a seat belt harness that I bought a long time ago and have no idea who makes it, but I have not seen it since in the stores--it has very thick straps that are sturdy and the whole thing is padded with fake sherpa type fabric--very comfortable for the dog and less likely to break.Wish I could find a few more!

I just groomed a puppy the other day that weighed just 18 pounds at 7 months--the woman put her in the backseat with a giant dog bed on the seat so that the puppy was about 8 inches higher than the seat and unsecured--if they rear-ended someone, that pup would go right into or thru the windshield! I told her about harnesses and it was obvious that she had never thought about it--I try to mention it to my grooming customers whenever i can.

[Christine & Camus]

I like the sherpa option.  Think I'll look into buying some sherpa fabric and attaching it to his harness straps.

[Jennifer and Jack]

I have that one too...I use that and Jacks booster seat!

[DJ & Chance]

I use a Bergan pet harness, and that was because I believed it met some accepted safety standard:  http://v9dt.com/standard.htm.  Perhaps this was hype.  I'm going to do more research!

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

Now that I have at least one car seat at a time, sometimes two, in my backseat, my two ride in the back of the SUV, unbelted. They crisscross and hop all over eachother in back and I just don't know what would keep them in one place that would still allow them the freedom to look out the windows.
. I have a grate that is put in behind the backseats and the back, so they would not become projectiles, and it hopefully would keep them in should something happen to me and I am not conscious enough to care for them. They hopefully would not be able to run away.

[BG and Gavin]

I think the grate is good.  You could always use a harness and a coupler and attach them to the cargo tie downs that are found in the back of the SUV.