Ali Howat, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
Are you an animal lover? Do you like bringing your furry friend on your car rides? Well then, let’s keep your four-legged friend safe with these tips and tricks to make sure you are driving safely with them.
Although we all love our animals sitting beside us, they should be in the back of the vehicle so they are not a distraction to us or be at risk of injury from the dashboard or airbags in the event of a collision.
And even though our dogs love it, they shouldn’t travel with their heads out the window, because even if you don’t collide, the smallest quick stop could cause them to have head or neck injuries.
When you are safely restraining your pet in the vehicle, please do not restrain them by the beck or collar to a seatbelt.
If you have dogs traveling in the beds of your trucks, please ensure that they are either contained within a kennel and that the kennel is securely placed or that the dog is wearing a harness with a short tether that keeps them safely away from the sides of the truck bed.
“All vehicle passengers, including animals, should be properly restrained. This ensures the safety of pets, their owners, and other road users. It is their responsibility to practice smart driving behaviors that minimize risk to themselves and their animals,” said Supt. Gary Graham, Alberta RCMP Traffic Services in a news release.
Vehicle travel is just as dangerous to animals as it is to us humans.
We as pet owners have a responsibility to take the proper steps to ensure we reduce the risk to our furry friends as possible.
“Pets are a part of the family and they need to be safe in a vehicle just like any other passenger. When planning a trip this summer, think about your pets needs and safety. And when making rest stops ensure it’s in a safe location for your pets, away from busy traffic,” said Peace Officer Stuart Dodds, Provincial Supervisor, Alberta SPCA.
Along with driving safely with your pets, we are also reminded that we should not be leaving our pets alone in the vehicles, especially during our summer months.
During our recent heatwave the province experienced temperatures that were record breaking.
Leaving our pets in vehicles unattended is very dangerous and harmful to them it only takes a few minutes for it to cause harm to them in hot summer temperatures, even with your vehicle running it is still dangerous.
Please think about your safety, your pet’s safety and the safety of the others around when traveling with your furry friends.
