Are pet restraints really safe?
It’s very important to keep your pets safe when driving, and most people do that by using pet restraints which appear safe because it keeps pets from jumping out of the window or climbing on the driver. So, while we’re on the topic of pet-friendly vehicles, we did a little research and found out if most pet restraints used in cars are really safe…
Until recently, there where no crash dummies for pets, which seems to be the flaw according to Subaru. “Safety for all passengers, including our pets, is very important to Subaru and to our drivers,” says Michael McHale, director of communications at Subaru of America, Inc. “Selecting the wrong harness could be just as detrimental as not using one at all. Most pet owners don’t know the dangers of not properly harnessing their pet while in the car. With nearly half of Subaru drivers also being dog owners, we want them to be as informed as possible.”
Subaru created various crash dummies in the form of pets of all sizes and tested these popular doggie harnesses. The study found serious flaws in many popular pet restraints currently on the market, with only one particular pet restraint system actually doing its job- the rest all failed. Data from the study will be used in the development of the first harness safety standard and test protocols that will serve as guidelines to the pet products industry. Hopefully now they will develop more pet harnesses that actually keep our furry friends safe!
Visit the Centre for Pet Safety to view the full study.