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 owners be required to provide restraints for sitters?
I’m posting this to owners also
Rule 57 of the 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 safely restraining animals in cars.”
Being in breach of this advice can see drivers facing on the spot fines of up to £1,000, a maximum fine of £5,000, nine points on their license and even a driving ban and compulsory retest.
Wasn’t aware of the fines but thought some of you might want tot get their own harnesses if they take dogs out in their car.
Thank you for this important piece of information @Goodboyjakey I have moved this to the Owner Sitter Exchange Category as it applies to everyone transporting dogs in cars and not just in the UK or because it’s the law, it’s for the safety of both the humans and pets inside and outside the vehicle.
I mentioned this some months ago as I hadn’t been aware. Hardly any of the owners have been aware either, which surprises me, but obviously I can’t force them to comply. If I travel with dogs in my car I usually put them in the boot taking out the parcel shelf, but of course if someone crashed into the back of me they could be seriously injured or worse.
If we bought our own harnesses, as sitters, we’d need more than one because of the different sizes of dogs. This should not be something a sitter should have to supply but the owners…
Agreed @Smiley that it is something that the owners should have but sometimes they don’t or they drive off to the airport with it in their car so to be sure, because it is my car and therefore my responsibility, we have a harness.
We have a bungee type with a splitter for two dogs. Gives me peace of mind that the dogs aren’t going to distract me and I am complying with the law for the price of £11.
You can buy a fitting that on one side clips into the regular car seat belt holder and the other side just attaches to the regular dog harness D clip. It only costs about £3.00 from the B & M which has a lot of dog supplies including canine peanut butter
I bought a pair of leads that attach to the seatbelt for my brothers 2 dogs. And I try to remember to bring them along on sits when I’m flying and have use of the HO’s car.
But when I have to rent a car, it seems most car rental companies are putting no pets in the rental agreements now - I understand for cleaning and allergies of other renters, but I felt really bad on my last string of sits in the UK because the dogs could have come with me.
Do the HO ask for the dogs to be taken out? Ours do not need to go in the car. Two of them are not keen on travelling. Does this get discussed before? All these topics are very useful because they bring up information that maybe one would not think of but now can be addressed.
We don’t normally discuss it much because we always have a rental car and are not allowed to have pets in it. A few home owners have mentioned we’re allowed to take the dog with us if we go for a walk further away from the house, but if we were ever to actually do that, a more in-depth conversation would have to occur because I would want to know their rules for how the dog normally travels in a car, what part, do they have a harness etc.
We have had two sits in which it was necessary to take the dogs someplace else to walk/run, but in both cases, the home owner provided a vehicle.
