Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: Pet Travel Survey Reveals Increase in Automobile Safety Precautions

Want to go for a ride? Those six little words
are often music to a dog's ears. Whether you're
bringing them to the local dog park or to visit
friends and family, many dogs enjoy a road trip.
You probably ensure that you and your family are
buckled up before you go, but are you also
keeping your pet safe when they are riding in the
car with you?

Trips with Pets, the leading authority on pet
travel and pet friendly hotels, conducted a poll
to find out how many pet owners are securing
their furry companions while on the road. 53% of
the 765 respondents reported taking proper safety
precautions, which is up from just 44% only two
years ago. Many states now have pending
legislation regarding the use of pet restraints
in a vehicle, so if you currently have your dog
or cat loose in your car, it's time to consider
using one of the following methods:

Vehicle Pet Barrier: This was the most popular
pet travel restraint in the survey, cited to be
used by 41% of pet owner respondents. These
barriers are used in the cargo area of the
vehicle, keeping your pet safely away from you
and your passengers, and more importantly, away
from the windshield in the event of an accident.

Pet Travel Crate: 32% of pet owners in the poll
reported putting their pet in a travel crate or
carrier while inside the car. Make sure it's
well-ventilated and large enough for your pet to
stand, sit, lie down, and turn around in. There
are a variety of wire, mesh, hard plastic and
soft-sided carriers available to fit your pet.
If you're buddy hasn't been familiarized with a
crate environment, it will be important to do so
prior to heading out.

Pet Safety Belt: Buckle 'em up like 9% of the
people in the survey do. Dog seat belts are made
to easily slip onto your existing vehicle seat
belt and acts as a harness to keep your pet
safely in the seat in case there is a sudden stop
or impact. It also keeps pets from distracting
drivers.

Pet Car Seat: For smaller pets, pet travel car
seats are the perfect answer when you're on the
go, and are a good option for 8% of the survey
respondents. Reminiscent of a booster seat, your
pet is able to look out and see what is going on
while your vehicle's own safety belt holds it in
place. Your pet is secured in the car seat with
a lead which is attached on to their harness.

Roaming Free is Not a Good Option: It's
encouraging that owners traveling with their
four-legged family members are trying to keep
them safe, but 47% of the people who took the
survey do not currently secure their pets in the
car. Letting your pet have free reign in a
vehicle or sit in your lap while driving can have
serious consequences. Aside from the obvious
implications during a crash, if the scared pet
gets free from the car, he could wander out into
the road or try to hamper the efforts of rescue
workers. And although dogs love to stick their
heads out windows, doing so can actually damage
their eyes and ears, not to mention put them at
risk of falling out. The same also applies to
truck beds.

An unrestrained pet can multiply its weight by
hundreds or even thousands of pounds during an
automobile accident. Some vehicle accident
statistics report loose objects, including pets,
to be one of the top five reasons for automobile
injuries. Don't put your beloved pet in harm's
way when you take them for a ride.

----------------------------------------------------
Kim Salerno is the President & Founder of
TRIPSwithPETS.com. She founded the pet travel
site in 2003 and is an expert in the field of pet
travel. Kim is a veteran of the travel industry -
formerly serving as Director of Internet
Marketing for Certified Vacations. Her mission is
to ensure that pets are welcome, happy,and safe
in their travels. Visit her company website at
http://www.tripswithpets.com

EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=87541

>