One of the things that has been on our wish list for quite awhile is new seatbelts for the pooches. We had originally purchased two cheap harnesses from one of the big box pet stores. They worked great for keeping the dogs in place during drives.
However, after an accident on a back road (thankfully minor!), we wanted something more than just keeping them in place. We stumbled on a
study done by the Center of Pet Safety, which completed the first crash testing on pet safety harnesses.
Beyond the impact protection, seat belts can be critical if in an accident. As we unfortunately know, a car accident is a scary thing for both the humans and pooches. We have heard stories of dogs running away during the aftermath, sometimes injured themselves. With even our cheap harnesses at the time, both our pooches stayed in place while we waited for the police and firemen.
The clear winner and our next purchase was the
Sleepypod Clickit. Our first stop was our favorite website for well-researched items for barrel-chested dogs --
Fit for a Pit. While they are an investment, we have been extremely happy with the 3-point tether, keeping the dogs in place. It also does a great job keeping the dogs from becoming tangled in the seatbelt (although Tess has figured our how to unhook the tethers!). Not only are they comfy with plenty of padding and a wide vest, they are stylish!
Do you use a seat belt for your pooch in the car?