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Dog Car Restraints


Pretty Miss Emma
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Thank you for posting this. Glad your all ok!

I've been looking into what kind of harness to get, found this one on eBay, can I get some thoughts on if it is worth it?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/270898096737?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_970wt_689

(can I post links? Will delete it if not allowed) :o

This isn't like what Kenzie has but I guess if the crate is secured in the car then I would be fine (I only say that as it doesn't look as if it wedges in so the crate itself could be thrown around if there was an accident), but others who use crates in the car are probably better advising on how to deal with this!

I use a set up like this (hopefully that link works! and I don't have a dog like the one in the pic but it's a bit cute!!).

I don't know I'm thinking anything is better than a loose dog in the car, and then there is obviously what works better or worse for your dog and car!

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This is the Road Rule in question - each state has adopted it from Rule 297 of the National Road Rules and it is pretty self-explanatory:

Rule 297: Proper Control of Vehicle:

(1) A driver must not drive a vehicle unless the driver has proper control of the vehicle.

(1A) A driver must not drive a vehicle if a person or an animal is in the driver’s lap.

(2) A driver must not drive a motor vehicle unless the driver has a clear view of the road, and traffic, ahead, behind and to each side of the driver.

The RTA in NSW have also confirmed in writing that it is not illegal to have a dog unrestrained.

A loose dog jumping around a car or on the front seat could get you in under (1). A dog lying down in the back of a car/ 4WD is unlikely to trigger it.

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Anyone got any thoughts or experience on dogs travelling in the rear of a small wagon behind a cargo barrier vs harnesses in the back seat?

My old car had plenty of space behind the cargo barrier, my new car has just enough space for both dogs to lay down and that's it. From a heavy braking perspective they are better off but it really concerns me that if I get rear ended they don't have a lot of space if the tail gate is caved in :(

Unfortunately said vehicle is a company car so I can't make any modification by way of bolting crates in if I was to fold the seats down permanently.

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Cos, I only have 3 and they are little but I have clip things that go into the seatbelt things on the back seat then clip onto the harnesses with a spring clip (trojan clip??? Like on the end of a leash). So I could have 3 dogs on the back seat.

I also have a short leash secured around the base of the passenger seat (the leg thingy where it is attached to the floor of the car). This leash clips to the harness of the dog in the footwell. This could be done behind the driver seat too so I could secure 5 dogs to anchor points, provided they weren't too big. It would mean only 2 people could fit in the car tho, in the front.

Please excuse my expert technical language :o

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Our two big dogs have a harness each that clips into a seatbelt and our two little dogs share a doggie car seat - it is an elevated bed/basket contraption that is secured to either a front or back seat, it has two short tethers that are sewn into the basket which are then either snapped onto their harness or collars to secure the dogs to the basket.

Just a word of warning for those restraining the dogs by their collars instead of a harness - in the event of an accident, the pressure on their neck can do serious damage - best to restrain with a harness instead of a collar, if possible.

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Glad to hear you are all reasonably ok.

Ours are always strapped in with a harness clipped into the seatbelt.

I know in NSW it is Illegal to have an unrestrained dog in the car, is it the same in other states? You do still see some unrestrained, but then again some people are so stupid they still dont put their kids in carseats/seatbelts.

In NSW it is NOT illegal to have a dog unrestrained in the car.

Well there ya go, I cert thought it was.

Well yes, if you read it on the internet or heard it on the radio it is the truth. :rolleyes:

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It is not illegal in any state!

Seriously - the topic seems to come up here every month.

In my vet there is a sign that says it is so obviously some confusion.. I actually can't see why it is not illigal having dogs in your car not restrained is an accident waiting to happen.

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Gus gets strapped in.... if I didnt strap him in he would attempted to squeeze his body out of a window gap!!, not to mention him all over my lap when im trying to drive.. ow so dangerous...our crate is too big for the car, so I think using a doggie belt is as safe and accommodating as I can get.

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I had an occasion to stop suddenly a few days ago with our ACD in the back of the car. While she was restrained, it did not stop her from hitting the back of the seat and ending up in the foot well. The top half was secure but her hind legs kept going.

Does anybody know of a full body harness (fits around both front and back legs) that is available?

Also I assume that airbags can be an issue? Has anybody had any experiences with airbags deploying while their dogs are in the car?

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I had an occasion to stop suddenly a few days ago with our ACD in the back of the car. While she was restrained, it did not stop her from hitting the back of the seat and ending up in the foot well. The top half was secure but her hind legs kept going.

Does anybody know of a full body harness (fits around both front and back legs) that is available?

Also I assume that airbags can be an issue? Has anybody had any experiences with airbags deploying while their dogs are in the car?

Don't know of a full body harness (other than ccrating!!).

But agree with you re the airbag issue. I would be thinking that the recommendations would be the same as they are for people, that's why they say don't have kids in the front seat - the impact of an airbag deploying can seriously hurt them as they ar enot big enough. I don't know what the weight is that they say it's ok, for some reason I feel like it's about 25kg but that is not factual information at all! The other thing I would be worried about with a dog in the front seat is that they tend to sit/lean forward whereas a person tends to sit more back into the seat and no doubt that would not be good if an airbag went off. i try to avoid having Kenzie in the front seat at all unless there is some reason that she just has to be there and can't fit anywhere else.

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I need to find a harness but there is not going to be enough room in the back for Bernese + 2 kids comfortably. I have a small 4WD, is there any type of harness that can secure in the cargo section?

When Kenzie travels in the cargo section she still wears her normal seatbelt harness and I have a leash that is attached to the cargo barrier (or in another car there were some anchor points where the floor met the side of the car) ad she is then attached to that leash. So that way even though she is in the cargo area she is still attached (I started doing this as I didn't trust that she wouldn't just jump out when I opened the door, so it was a preventative for this!!!).

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I need to find a harness but there is not going to be enough room in the back for Bernese + 2 kids comfortably. I have a small 4WD, is there any type of harness that can secure in the cargo section?

Do you have any child restraint anchor points in your cargo area floor? I attach Billie's harness to one of those if there are no seat belts available. Her harness came with two sorts of attachments - one for seat belts and another for anchor points/latch bars.

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