Pet passengers pose safety risk to others in car, experts warn


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SALT LAKE CITY — When Jessica Madsen goes out for a drive, her dogs Bruiser and Harley have no problem going with her.

“They just go and jump in the car themselves. Bruiser is a little small so he needs a little boost in, but Harley is so excited to go for a car ride,” Madsen said.

For many pet owners, driving around with their furry friends in the back seat is perfectly normal. Even though it’ll get your dog’s tail wagging, veterinarians say a pet unrestrained in the car can lead to serious and sometimes fatal injuries.

“They can lurch forward the, hit the back of the seat those sorts of things and the big concern is blunt force trauma,” veterinarian Vicki Campbell said.

Campbell feels it’s not only dangerous for animals but also for those in the car.

“If they fall forward underneath the gas pedal or something like that, they can actually cause an accident,” Campbell said.

In the event of a crash, Campbell said pets can also become a projectile.

It's something Lindsey Wolko knows first-hand. Her dog was seriously injured when she slammed on her breaks to avoid a crash.

"Maggie slammed into the back of the front seat and all I heard was screaming,” Wolko said. “It was extremely traumatic. Maggie was injured and that harness did nothing to protect her."

The experience, along with hearing similar stories from other pet owners, helped her create the Center for Pet Safety. The nonprofit, with help from Subaru, tests harnesses, crates and other pet restraints.

Wolko said its first round of testing was alarming.

“We had a 100 percent failure rate of all of those products to protect, regardless,” she said. “One of them has 'crash tested' on the box, and it was shocking.”

Crash tests performed by the Center for Pet Safety show how a pet can become a dangerous projectile in the event of a vehicle accident, even if the pet is restrained by a harness or in a crate. (Photo: Courtesy Center for Pet Safety)
Crash tests performed by the Center for Pet Safety show how a pet can become a dangerous projectile in the event of a vehicle accident, even if the pet is restrained by a harness or in a crate. (Photo: Courtesy Center for Pet Safety)

Researchers use life-like test dogs to try out hundreds of products big companies want consumers to buy. Wolko said the pet products industry is a highly unregulated, $60 billion-a-year industry and warns the products you buy don't have to meet any safety standards.

“They don't have to be tested by the manufacturer. The manufacturers can over-market the product, and they can tell you it's the best thing since natural gas, but when it comes down to it, it actually may not have to do anything at all,” Wolko said.

She also said if your pet is injured by one of these products, the manufacturer can claim they never had to test it, since it’s not required by law.

To combat the issue, the Center for Pet Safety is urging Congress to regulate the pet products industry.

So what can you do to keep your pets safe? The organization started to certify products its tested and believe work. So far, it's certified one brand of pet harness: the Sleepypod Clickit Sport, in all available sizes.

Eventually its website will include a list of certified pet travel carriers, pet crates and other restraints. For more information visit www.centerforpetsafety.org/cps-certified.

Email: amoser@ksl.comTwitter: @AshleyMoser

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