Pet Safety While Traveling

[Merlin]

An article in the March, '18 issue of Trailer Life on camping with pets provides all the usual good advice on caring for and enjoying the furry friends some of us bring along like don't leave a pet in the car and practice good pet camping etiquette. However, the part on pet safety in a vehicle got me to thinking I need to make some changes in what I do. My dog(s) have always traveled lightly restrained in the back seat. That's been ok so far, but isn't safe in case of emergency maneuvers or an accident. In my previous tow vehicle I experimented with removing the back seats and bolting a metal crate to floor with the seat bolts. That would have been too unwieldy, so it was not a good solution.

I plan to buy either a dog restraint harness or a secure crate for any dogs I travel with from now on. The TL article refers to the Center for Pet Safety as a good source of information. Consumer Reports also has an article on the issue. I have spent some time on both sites and learned a great deal.

http://www.centerforpetsafety.org

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2011/05/safe-road-tripping-with-pets/index.htm

I'll add to this thread after I purchase and try out a harness or crate for safe travel. If anyone else is using a safety restraint, chime in.

[ADR]

As some of you are aware we were involved in a very serious accident on the way to pick up our new 2018 16TBS.
We were broadside by a full size pickup estimated to be doing 45MPH while we were doing 65MPH on a divided 4 lane highway in Missouri.
Both vehicles were totalled and my wife, some 2 months later, is still dealing with significant injury to her right hand and wrist. 
We both are in physical therapy, me for my neck, which is still sore.

But- the very worst part was our 12 yr old German Shepherd mix was killed.   

I had built a dog pen of sorts for our 2 dogs to ride in.   It held up well but I had not anticipated a rollover so the pen had no top.

So scroll forward and we did a lot of research and purchased a Gunner Kennel for our other dog who somehow survived the accident with no injury.
The Gunner is expensive- the large is around $600, it is heavy, about 80lbs and is a pain to move around.
But I am NOT going to lose another dog in a vehicle accident if I can do anything to prevent it.  I very much regret not having had the foresight to put a top on the pen.
Attached is a pic of the dog pen- note it is held down by 2 very stout turnbuckles and fared pretty well- notice how the entire van is a parallelogram from the impact.
One thing the kennel must be tied down with very stout straps to equally stout tie down points.   In our accident I had tool boxes tied down with 1000 lb breaking strength rated straps.  They broke like nothing.
The tie down points would be an issue in many vehicles.

[ADR]

Here is the new Gunner Kennel in the new van with 4 seperate tie down straps to Ford OEM brackets the passenger seats attach to>

[Merlin]

That Gunner looks stout. And great idea to fasten it down with the seat hole bolts. I'll look into that for my set up.

[Apollo]

I use the Kurgo safety harness. It is crash tested and hooks to the cars seat belt.

Won't work in a cargo van but is a good option for vehicles with regular occupant seating.

[ADR]

We now have TWO Gunner kennels- one for the dog that survived the crash and our new arrival- Pepper,  a Shepherdoodle!

We actually decided to drop down to medium kennels instead of the large.   Once we confirm Pepper isn't going to grow large enough to need a large kennel we'll put the large up for sale- those things now go new for $700!

Below is a pic of Bud the white/black Labradoodle (7yrs) and Pepper (4 months)

[Merlin]

We now have TWO Gunner kennels- one for the dog that survived the crash and our new arrival- Pepper,  a Shepherdoodle!

We actually decided to drop down to medium kennels instead of the large.   Once we confirm Pepper isn't going to grow large enough to need a large kennel we'll put the large up for sale- those things now go new for $700!

Below is a pic of Bud the white/black Labradoodle (7yrs) and Pepper (4 months)