Restraints for dogs in vehicles

Owners
#1

I like to take the dogs I housesit for out in my car (or car loaned by houseowners when travelling) to explore different areas, nice for the dogs and me. Sometimes the owner has had restraints for the dogs when travelling, usually attached to the seat belt holder. Other times they haven’t so I’ve travelled with the dog(s) in the boot, removing the parcel shelf. I’ve had no problems thus far. However when the wife of one of my cousins saw a pic I’d posted on Facebook of two dogs in the boot she brought to my attention that I could be fined if I had an accident and the dogs were found to be unrestrained.
I attach a link with further information:

Should you, as owners, be required to provide restraints or a cage for sitters to use for the dogs?

2 Likes
#2

@Smiley Thank you …

For more information, a link to global directives >>

2 Likes
#3

I read all. No infos on France.

It would be useful THS gives that link on web site. I’m pretty sure canadians, americans, british and australian owners ignore the law…

As an owner I will warn my sitters they MUST keep the dog attached with harnest or safetyy belt (I provide)

Well i tried to find out info on France writing “loi, route, chien” on Google and found articles written by insurance companies, car sellers(BMW…) and sécurité routière There is no spécial law but articles in different codes

I learnt that “Code la route” obliges dog owners to attach their dog with a safety belt or a harnais. Fine can be 375€ if police finds you with a dog free in the véhicule.
Dogs are considered as passengers and must wear safety belts like humans

There is an article added in 1999 in “Code rural” which precises anybody can break a car window If he sees a dog who might die because you left him in the heat

So question are:
do owners have special dog safety belts. ? Do they have cages If dogs must be taken on a truck back ?
What happens If the sitter rents a car, If the rental company refuses any dog and are obliged to go to the vet ?

2 Likes
#4

This is a great topic for discussion. Regardless of the laws, I feel that all dogs should be contained or restrained for their safety while in cars. Countless pets have been hurt or killed in accidents or even escaped the car during the accident only to run off into the woods and get lost or run into the street and get hit by another vehicle.

4 Likes
#5

Thanks Angela. As the article states a high percentage of owners in the UK aren’t aware of the law regarding dogs in cars. Is this info on TH website? If not it would be useful

1 Like
#6

Personally I think harnesses attached to seat belts are best with dog on the back seat. I hate cages! Certainly rental car companies in New Zealand don’t allow dogs in their cars

1 Like
#7

Apparently if a dog was injured in an accident and had been unrestrained the driver could pay a very hefty fine in the UK

1 Like
#8

And I think we all need to take this seriously and should be one of the questions we ask the owner

1 Like
#9

Very interesting

1 Like
#10

It means owners must check the rules in their country (I had a look, Switzerland is different than France or Belgium. Countries from CEE have not adopted the same rules obviously.)

See http://www.educanin.ch/pdf/chien-en-voiture-attention-danger.pdf

CHIEN VOITURE images2

2 Likes
#11

In Germany, there are no laws on the use of safety systems for pets. Here, animals in the car are considered cargo. The transport of a pet falls under the term cargo security and a violation costs between 35-75€. In addition, you are not allowed to continue driving until the “load” is secured.

Off Topic:
@Angela-CommunityManager. Do we really need two topicswith the same content? Someone should merge the two topic and move it to the “General” section. That way we would have all the info in one place

1 Like
#12

I think some posts for owners are only read by owners. Idem for sitters.

So it seems useful both members must be aware of this topic.

Sitters must ask owners If they have the equipment. Owners must find the legal texts and help the sitters.

2 Likes
#13

Totally agree Provence

#14

But you can’t always separate Infos into sitter and owner Infos.

Therefore I think something valuable for both sides should be in General.
For example, my Information about Germany could be interesting for a German HO with his first puppy. But even for a sitter with his first sit here. So in which category should I post it?

Otherwise, you had to separate many other topics into two parts.

“What info should you ask for as a sitter?”
is the same as
“What info should I write as HO in my profile?”

“As a sitter, I am only looking for dog sits what can I do?”
is the same as
“As a HO I am only looking for dog sitters what can I do?”

1 Like
#15

We understand your logic and in fairness to @Smiley, who felt the topic should be directed to both owners and sitters will watch both posts. Depending on the engagement activity, closing one with a “please continue discussion here” post and “also discussed here” post in the active topic would be a solution.