Carrying Dogs

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Thu 18 Jul 2019 17:48
Carrying Dogs - fredthefifth

My wife has read something that is saying that a dog guard is not good enough and that dogs should either be in a crate or a seat belt and that insurance could be invalidated if not complied with.

So have thousands of dog guard manufacturers all been put out of business? Are all dog owners who carry dogs behind a dog guard all doing so illegally? If we have an accident would we find our protection invalidated?

She will try and find the url to the article but in the meantime any thoughts?

Thanks.

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Thu 18 Jul 2019 18:06
Carrying Dogs - concrete

I remember a government advertising campaign many years ago. It started with the headline:

MAN KILLED BY BEST FRIEND!

The film then showed a dog playing about in the back seat of a car whilst the car was being driven along a road. The driver was talking to the dog, got distracted, suddenly confronted with something, jammed on the brakes. The next scene he was being stretchered away dead and the dog was on the dashboard, obviously dead too. The road safety film was to highlight the dangers of a free animal in the car whilst in motion. If it is illegal I don't know. Would it invalidate any insurance claim, very likely.

I may be wise for you to contact your insurer, they should be able to tell you what they require for travelling with animals. Personally we always had a steel gate fitted to prevent our dog from jumping over the rear seats, but I never did check if that was sufficient. I suspect it is on the grounds that it is a reasonable precaution against an animal either being catapulted into the front or simply getting into the passenger side and causing a distraction.

Cheers Concrete

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Thu 18 Jul 2019 18:28
Carrying Dogs - Brit_in_Germany

I believe the law just requires that the dog is secured and so a gate alone would be suitable if not the best arrangement.

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Thu 18 Jul 2019 20:27
Carrying Dogs - fredthefifth

I always use a dog guard / gate in my estate, but apparently that is not good enough. I will try and find the article.

I would never entertain the dog being loose in the car.

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Thu 18 Jul 2019 21:29
Carrying Dogs - RT

Highway Code states: “When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly.
A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.”

My bold.

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Thu 18 Jul 2019 22:13
Carrying Dogs - fredthefifth

Agreed. I was being given the impression that even a dog guard wasn't suitable but its looking like it was a misunderstanding of what restrained meant.

Thanks for the replies.

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Thu 18 Jul 2019 23:16
Carrying Dogs - Brit_in_Germany

Mental failure - guard, not gate!

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Fri 19 Jul 2019 10:15
Carrying Dogs - ExA35Owner

If you are using a dog guard, you need to consider the physics - specifically the ballistics - of the dog in a serious collision. Will the guard be able to contain the dog in the boot area, or will the dog become a missile which knocks the guard down and then hits a passenger? Dog guards I've had in the past were barely sufficient to persuade the dog not to jump into the front of the car.

That's why crates, properly fixed down, or seat belt systems are probably safer.

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Fri 19 Jul 2019 12:20
Carrying Dogs - RT

If you are using a dog guard, you need to consider the physics - specifically the ballistics - of the dog in a serious collision. Will the guard be able to contain the dog in the boot area, or will the dog become a missile which knocks the guard down and then hits a passenger? Dog guards I've had in the past were barely sufficient to persuade the dog not to jump into the front of the car.

That's why crates, properly fixed down, or seat belt systems are probably safer.

Luggage can do just the same - that's why rear seats are much stronger than they used to be.

A tip I was given was to leave the rear seat belts buckled even if no-one sat there - adds more strength to the back seat to prevent luggage/dogs being a missile.

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Tue 23 Jul 2019 14:25
Carrying Dogs - craig-pd130

Straying (!) slightly off-topic here, but the number of cars I see with dogs sat on passengers' (or even drivers') laps, or with their heads stuck out of windows constantly horrifies me.

In my view, anyone seen by the police with an unrestrained dog in the car should get exactly the same penalty as for holding / using a mobile phone.

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Tue 23 Jul 2019 17:07
Carrying Dogs - lordwoody

Amazing anyone survived pre-dog restraint laws. I think there are far more things to be horrified about than a dog with its head out of the window.

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Tue 23 Jul 2019 17:52
Carrying Dogs - craig-pd130

Amazing anyone survived pre-dog restraint laws. I think there are far more things to be horrified about than a dog with its head out of the window.

Indeed there are. But it certainly gives me paws for thought when I see drivers allowing large-ish live animals to roam the cabins of their cars.

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