Why dogs should be seat-belted

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Postby pitbullmamaliz » February 16th, 2010, 6:18 pm

I've been using a seat belt for Inara for a long time now, a few years. I get laughed at because I'm obsessive about it - the car doesn't move if she's not buckled. However, an incident yesterday reminded me of why buckling them in is soooo important.

I had yesterday off so I'd gone down to my mom's house on Sunday. A crapload of snow fell overnight and was still falling, but I wasn't worried as I know how to drive in the snow. So I headed out to go home. I made it maybe 10 miles down the highway (which was in crappy shape) when a car cut me off. I had the option of sliding into his rear end at 50 miles an hour or going into the median which had about 3 feet of snow piled up. I chose the median. I whipped the steering wheel to the left to avoid the car (missed him by inches) and then spun around, doing almost a complete 360 in the snow. All I could see was snow flying while I just kept thinking, "please don't let anybody hit me. Please don't let anybody hit me." We came to a stop facing the highway, with my nose still partway in the lane. Somehow nobody hit me. I looked back and Inara's legs were braced and her eyes were huge, but you know what? She was okay. If she hadn't been buckled in she would have been tossed around the backseat like a rag doll. So please please please, always restrain your dog in the car.

I'll tell you the rest of the story, just because it's so awesome. I called my parents who were actually only a few minutes away because they had been heading up the highway as well. They pass me and pull over into the right hand shoulder. As my stepdad is coming to my car, a red pickup truck pulls over on my side and checks to make sure I'm okay. He was trying to figure out if he could find a place to hook a chain to my car and tow me out. He couldn't. All of a sudden we hear a crunching sound and see a semi truck pushing a Dodge Magnum, in the lane we were in. They NARROWLY avoid my car and my good samaritan's nice pickup truck gets side-swiped by the semi. It went downhill from there and I ended up going off on the semi driver and saying some very un-ladylike things to him.

Everybody was okay and I got towed out of the snow and made it back to my parent's house. I am now safely back home at MY house. *sigh* What a fiasco. Anyway, all I can keep saying is thank god Inara was buckled in. PLEASE restrain your dogs in the car. You just never know.
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Postby airwalk » February 16th, 2010, 7:10 pm

Thank heavens you and Inara are okay...yep I'm just as obsessive...car doesn't move if dogs are belted in.

About a year ago I had a person in front of me decide he needed to turn RIGHT NOW at 45 mph. Scooter always sits right behind me. If not for the seat belt I would have had 70 lbs coming right through my seat injuring me and him probably going out the windshield.

Please buckle up all hearts in the car.
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Postby HappyChick » February 16th, 2010, 7:13 pm

I'm so glad everyone is okay. Can you post a link to where you purchased Inara's seatbelt?
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » February 16th, 2010, 9:21 pm

I got mine at a pet boutique - I'll search around and see if I can find one similar to it. It's just a padded fleece harness with a loop on the back for the seat belt to go through. I'll see what I can find. :)
"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

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Postby pitbullmamaliz » February 16th, 2010, 9:28 pm

I think this is the exact seat belt: http://www.pettravelcenter.com/products/detail/246/22

Image
"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

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Postby ArtGypsy » February 16th, 2010, 9:36 pm

OH MAN..... :o

I REALLY need to get one for Dar...... :nono:

I can't believe I've put it off for this long, taking chances w/ my Baby.... :bs:
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Postby Marinepits » February 16th, 2010, 9:48 pm

pitbullmamaliz wrote:
Image


Same belt I have for all my guys. :thumbsup:
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Postby airwalk » February 16th, 2010, 10:49 pm

Same one I have for all of mine as well. I went to Petedge and bought their guardian gear harness just so I could have the seat belt extender that clips into the male end of the seat belt and has a clip on the other end to attach to the ring on the back of the harness.
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Postby BullyLady » February 16th, 2010, 11:18 pm

pitbullmamaliz wrote:I think this is the exact seat belt: http://www.pettravelcenter.com/products/detail/246/22

Image


Not a bad price either. I keep saying I should get one, but I really should. It would be safer for me too, as she has a habit of walking around and distracting me.
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Postby ArtGypsy » February 16th, 2010, 11:28 pm

I just found the same brand on petco site for ten bucks! :mrgreen:
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Postby cheekymunkee » February 16th, 2010, 11:31 pm

glad you guys are ok!!!
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Postby TheRedQueen » February 16th, 2010, 11:34 pm

Sooo glad that you're both okay! :hug3:

I'll just add another idea...check your equipment often! I used to have a small station wagon, so my guys were all seatbelted in the back seat...with blankets and towels spread all over...covering the connections to the car seatbelt. I took it for granted that they were snapped in and working okay.

Rip was about 6 months old, he put his muzzle out of the partly rolled down window in the back of the car (no electric windows...these you had to ROLL down manually---you youngsters won't remember that). He then put a paw up, and the window pushed down further...he stood up and stuck his upper body out, at the same time that I moved into the right lane. He fell out of the window!

I freaked out, stopped the car (and the person behind me stopped too!)...and found him dangling (quite happily) about 4" from the pavement. His seat belt had come unclipped (he'd chewed on it without my noticing) and had just caught on the car seatbelt...just in time to keep him from falling all of the way. :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

I made sure to double check the seatbelt parts after that...pulled them out from under the blankets and towels so I could see it all... :neutral:
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Postby DeeNtheChillas » February 17th, 2010, 12:25 am

I can't imagine if either of my babies had been in my car when I had my accident a couple of years back - I made it out unscathed and I'm still driving my Altima but if my dogs had been with me they wouldn't have been okay.

I need to invest in some seat belts for the babies. Thanks for this.
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Postby Hoyden » February 17th, 2010, 12:34 am

Birdie rides shot gun in the front passenger seat unless there is another adult in the Blazer with me. She is always snapped into her harness in the truck.

I made her a new service vest with a chest piece and reinforced webbing so I could clip the seat belt leash to the D at the back of her harness. Changing her in and out of harnesses got to be a nightmare after awhile. It did quite well when someone clipped me and spun me around on an icy road.

On longer trips, I put her into the same harness that Liz has. I got pulled over on Rt. 12 outside of Boonville, NY for speeding, but the cop let me go with a verbal warning & commented that it was good to see the dog properly restrained in a harness.
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Postby Malli » February 17th, 2010, 4:23 am

I need padding for Oscar's harness/car harness, it rubs, any ideas? I was thinking faux sheepskin fleece or real fleece cover...
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Postby madremissy » February 17th, 2010, 7:07 am

Diana, Where did you get all the extenders at?
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Postby iluvk9 » February 17th, 2010, 7:18 am

Thank goodness you are okay!

I recently got four harnesses for mine. :)
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Postby airwalk » February 17th, 2010, 10:26 am

madremissy wrote:Diana, Where did you get all the extenders at?



I went to petedge and bought their guardian gear harness. I Don't like the harness particularly, but wanted the extender. It's worth the price.
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Postby ArtGypsy » February 17th, 2010, 10:48 am

airwalk wrote:
madremissy wrote:Diana, Where did you get all the extenders at?



I went to petedge and bought their guardian gear harness. I Don't like the harness particularly, but wanted the extender. It's worth the price.



That's one thing I'm confused/frustrated about.
looking at the picture, in order for the belt to be safe, the dog has to be secure/--(no room to move around)...
but for long rides, Dar would want to lie down in the back seat.

I want my cake and eat it too, I guess.... :|
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Anger that things are the way they are.
Courage to make them the way they ought to be.”----Augustine
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » February 17th, 2010, 10:52 am

Inara can still lie down in her seat belt. :)
"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

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