# Dog Seat Belts Fail to Provide Protection From Car Crashes



## HannahBearsMom (Jul 31, 2011)

Dog Seat Belts Fail to Provide Protection From Car Crashes

http://www.doggiestylish.com/blog/2012/07/dog-seat-belts-fail-to-provide-protection-from-car-crashe/


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## RitaandRiley (Feb 27, 2012)

So what now?


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Yikes. I have to check their seat belts. The clasps looks the same. I need to come up with something else! I can't catch the cage for the back because my trunk area is full of all my work gear....


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I wish there was more information here. Clearly, at least 3 of the harnesses they tested were significantly different from the one I use. Kodi's harness has a heavily stitched, nylon web double strap on the back piece, and the seatbelt, itself, passes through the back. There is no weak metal clip or thin strap the break on impact. While, of course, it is possible for the harness itself to hurt the dog, just as a seatbelt can hurt a human, i can't see the dog becoming a projectile with the way my harness is made.

And there is no comparison testing of what happens to a dog loose in a crate or, worse, behind one of those grates across the back of an SUV. I don't think that would show a pretty picture either, considering the velocity of these impacts.

My feeling is that which form of restraint will protect your dog the best will depend largely on the type of impact. And ANY form of restraint is FAR better than none. Just as with ourselves and our children, the best defense is probably safe, defensive driving. I know accidents can happen at any time, any place, and sometimes, even with all the modern safety devices, even people die in car accidents. I also know that in over 40 years of driving, in the very few accidents I've been involved in, I've never been in one where the airbags were deployed or anyone was injured. I do my best every day to maintain that record, and I think that is the most important thing I can do to keep myself, my family, and my pets safe.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Looks like the strap hardware opened due to pressure. I'm going to buy 3 carabiners. They will not open!


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Karen,
Where did u get your strap?


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Most everything we use will not fully protect our dogs from certain impacts, but they will hopefully keep them from running off in a crash and being lost. Many times dogs in carriers are let out by a "concerned citizen" of course they are scared and run off. We can only do the best that is available to us. We can raise awareness that animals should be left in their crate until police or animal control get there. I have friends who still have their dog because a dog aware person kept people from opening the crated of her shaking and scared dog, the Highway patrol transported the dog to animal control...these dogs are then in impound and are not meant to be kept with the general population. My friend was in a coma for two weeks but her husband was able to get the impound slip from the Highway Patrol and bring the dog home the next day. Funny thing is people are not as likely to release a dog from a restraint...some how dogs that are tied up are scary.


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## kristin08 (Oct 11, 2011)

I have a harness similar to this one pictured here. I don't know how it would fail like the one in the video. The design seems totally different. The seatbelt is actually attached to the harness, not attached to a strap that is attached to the harness. The only thing that might fail under pressure are the plastic clips that hold the harness together at the back. But I feel like the crash forces would be exerted on the chest and upper part of the back of the harness before the location where the buckles actually are on the back. Although, I am don't know too much about the physics of crash forces


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Does your dog get tangled up in the seatbelt? I once tried a similar one on my big Aussie and it was a disaster. He ended up all twisted. I do know I have to get a better harness for Jack in his booster seat. One of the latches is almost broken.


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## BennyBoy (Apr 25, 2012)

Hmm, I never gave much thought to a seat belt for my dog. Guess it makes sense. I don't really take him many places, but if I did go anywhere of any distance, I would put him in his carrier on the floor of the van.


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## kristin08 (Oct 11, 2011)

Never had a problem with them getting tangled in the seatbelt. It retracts almost flush against the back of the seat so they can sit or lay down and it is behind them still.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

lfung5 said:


> Karen,
> Where did u get your strap?


Linda, it's not a separate strap, it's acually part of the harness. The seat belt, itself, holds the dog in place. So it's just like for a person... It allows some movement under normal conditions, and "locks" on impact or hard braking.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

kristin08 said:


> I have a harness similar to this one pictured here. I don't know how it would fail like the one in the video. The design seems totally different. The seatbelt is actually attached to the harness, not attached to a strap that is attached to the harness. The only thing that might fail under pressure are the plastic clips that hold the harness together at the back. But I feel like the crash forces would be exerted on the chest and upper part of the back of the harness before the location where the buckles actually are on the back. Although, I am don't know too much about the physics of crash forces


Yes, this isn't the exact model I have, but exactly the same resaint system on the back. I feel that this is MUCH safer than the light weight tethers, too.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

morriscsps said:


> Does your dog get tangled up in the seatbelt? I once tried a similar one on my big Aussie and it was a disaster. He ended up all twisted. I do know I have to get a better harness for Jack in his booster seat. One of the latches is almost broken.


It took some training with some one riding beside him to keep him from twisting, but Kodi quickly learned that he was supposed to sit or curl up in his seat and stay put. He falls asleep almost as soon as you put him in the car now.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

krandall said:


> Linda, it's not a separate strap, it's acually part of the harness. The seat belt, itself, holds the dog in place. So it's just like for a person... It allows some movement under normal conditions, and "locks" on impact or hard braking.


Oh, I see. This wouldn't work with car seats. I like car seats, because they help my car stay clean. Their muddy paws are in their cars seat rather than my back seat


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Here is what I came up with and it works great. Since the hardware is what failed in the video, I bought steel carabiners at the home depot. They will hold 170 lbs. They are small and will not open by themselves. I attached it to the bottom of the existing clip. You could also get rid of the existing clip and attach the carabiner to the strap.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

one more pic

I think I need to wash the car seat cover!!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

lfung5 said:


> Oh, I see. This wouldn't work with car seats. I like car seats, because they help my car stay clean. Their muddy paws are in their cars seat rather than my back seat


Kodi isn't right on the seat, though, he sits in a donut-type dog bed. I hink this probably gives the car as much protection as a dog seat.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

lfung5 said:


> Oh, I see. This wouldn't work with car seats. I like car seats, because they help my car stay clean. Their muddy paws are in their cars seat rather than my back seat


Kodi doesn't sit on the seat, though. He sits in a donut-type dog bed. I think this probably protects the seat as much as a car seat.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

lfung5 said:


> Here is what I came up with and it works great. Since the hardware is what failed in the video, I bought steel carabiners at the home depot. They will hold 170 lbs. They are small and will not open by themselves. I attached it to the bottom of the existing clip. You could also get rid of the existing clip and attach the carabiner to the strap.


I'd do that, and attach the carabiner to the strap. I've seen how easily that type of swivel snap fatigues and breaks in other applications.


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## LoudRam (May 23, 2010)

This is what I use for Ruffles and it works very well. The seatbelt goes through the loop.

http://www.petco.com/product/109613...Safety-Vest-Harness.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch


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