|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COPING WITH KEEPING DOGS SAFE IN CARS |
|
Readers have clearly appreciated recent features in which Membership Secretary Penny Gayler has focused on a particular area of concern for dog owners. After tackling fear of fireworks and the death of treasured pets, Penny turns her attention to how to keep your dog secure in a car. Jimmy, the Border Collie, was enjoying an ordinary day out with owner Peter Kissane when the drama unfolded. Peter, from North Baddesley, near Romsey, was taken ill at the wheel of his car and crashed into the central reservation. What followed had tragic consequences for two- year-old Jimmy and underlines how important security is when transporting our dogs in vehicles. As smoke poured out of the wrecked car and diesel fuel spread over the carriageway, well-meaning helpers rushed to Peter’s aid on the busy A31 at Stoney Cross, near Ringwood, Hampshire. However, in the confusion Jimmy escaped when the car door was opened. Jimmy was badly frightened and took off across the Forest, ignoring Peter’s frantic calls to him. The good news is that Peter has made a good recovery from the illness that caused him to crash. The bad news is that, despite intensive searches, Jimmy was hit and killed by a car several days later on the A36 at Landford as he apparently tried to find his way home. How best, then, to keep our dogs safe when travelling? A number of solutions come to mind. If you have an estate car, the safest place for the dog is clearly the rear section with a dog guard fitted behind the back seat. Some guards are designed to fit individual models. Adjustable guards that fit most models are also readily available at car accessory shops. Additionally, you can buy a lockable guard that means you can open the tailgate but the dog is still confined. That device is also very useful during hot weather should you need to leave the dog in the car, perhaps whilst you are shopping. NFDOG does not endorse products or accept advertising. However, to help members wishing to assess what guards are available, we offer the following contacts as a starting point. Barjo Engineering (UK) www.barjo.co.uk Tel: 0118 9890240, Guardsman (UK) www.dogcages.uk.com Tel: 01827 713040, Haborn Products (UK) www.habornproducts.co.uk Phone 01205 270317. You can also buy complete cages for most estate cars that are custom built. These are lockable and usually have an “escape” hatch should you be involved in an accident. Lintran (UK) www.lintran-products.co.uk Tel: 0 1673 885956 is one of a number of firms offering such devices. For a saloon car, you can get various sizes of cages that can be put on the back seat. You need to ensure that they are held securely in place and cannot tip over. Probably, for normal use, the best are the wire ones that let in a good flow of air. If you do use a cage, be sure to remove temporarily your dog’s collar when travelling. More than one dog has died by strangulation after getting its collar caught in the bars. It is also possible to buy harnesses that clip into seat belt fixings,
but I would only recommend these provided you are certain your dog
will not chew. Damaged seat belts mean your car will fail the MOT test
and are very expensive to replace. However, if your dog is well behaved,
this is a quick and easy way of securing it onto the back seat whilst
you travel. We offer our commiserations over the loss of Jimmy to Peter Kissane, who is a keen supporter of NFDOG. |
|
|
Site designed and hosted by
Copyright © 2000 New Forest
On Line Ltd. |
