Should Pet Be Restrained in Vehicles? - Page 1

From what I understand, some states require pets to be restrained in vehicles.  

http://www.cfnews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2012/6/5/should_pets_be_restr.html

I wonder if the new NJ law prohibits a dog from riding in a crate in the back of a pickup. Bosco rides in the back of our pickup in a Zinger Winger crate- I'm pretty sure the crate is sturdy enough for Bosco to survive a zombie attack.

Good question Laura.  I would think that a crate would qualify, but not sure.

I'm not very good at sticking to this myself, but I really do believe it's much, much, much safer for dogs (and everyone else) to be restrained inside a vehicle, either in a crate or harness that attaches to seatbelt (or similar devices.)  So if you're in a wreck the dog doesn't go flying and seriously injured/killed and also so it doesn't hit the driver/passengers and injure/kill them.  Also, dogs should be restrained so they don't jump out of a vehicle unbidden (either via car door or car window)
or don't risk getting your dog shot to death by a trigger happy LEO that doesn't understand canines. 
Link to one of the infamous cases of a dog that was unrestrained in a vehicle and killed by an officer.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=125436&page=1 

Or maybe restrain the dog so a lunatic doesn't reach in and throw the dog out into traffic. 
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-201_162-297370.htm 

to many other reasons too why dogs should be restrained when inside a vehicle.

I bought seatbelt harnesses for our dogs and have used them. During long trips I found the dogs were always getting tangled and stuck when they turned around, so I'd have to climb in the back and get them untangled. I tried all sorts of different methods to attach the harness to the seatbelt and nothing seemed to help. For right now we just have a barrier up and keep the dogs in the cargo area in hopes that if we are in an accident, they will stay in the back. If the states are going to impose these laws I hope that some better harness devices are developed.   

edited for clarification

Yes, I believe pets should be restrained.  For me it is not an option, since most of the time my dogs are in the vehicle we are going to some sort of trianing or event where the dogs are already required to be safely confined while waiting their turn in the vehicle.

I was read ended with one of my dogs a few years back. Had she not been wearing her seatbelt she'd of gone through the windshield. Freaked her out but no injury to either of us.
I also know of a local trainer that was on her way to an agility trail very early one morning, drunk driver hit her SUV, rolling it. Two dogs were in the back, one in a hard plastic crate and the other in a soft sided crate. The BC in the hard crate was shaken up but fine. The other dog in the soft crate need medical attention for his injuried. He busted right through the fabric and got bounced around in the cab. Both dogs and owner recovered well.
I've used kennels in the back of my truck before, but i tie them down 9 ways to sunday so they can't even budge. And i always place the door against the window of the cab so i can see the dog.
I truely believe that if you love or even like your dogs they need to be secured at all times.
Fry

With the job I have, and the fact that I take her to work with me every night, neither of us wear restraints - a bad habit we've gotten into, but with as many stops as we make and as many times as we get in and out of the car, it is way too much hassle to restrain the two of us repeatedly. However that being said, there are very few people out at that time of night.

It is, however illegal in this state to have a dog in the back of a pick-up, which I totally agree with.

My male actually gets car sick if not in his crate when we travel.

 YES!!!

 A dog becomes a BULLET when a sudden stop or a crash of your car or vehicle happens. In all Defensive Driving Courses given, that is number one thing we discuss.

Kids , lunch boxes, shoes, boxes in the seats, cans, DOGS< you name it> can kill you if you are in a crash.

We saw a SunVisor cut the top off of a head of passenger because it came loose.  Dog , kids etc can become a weapon like a cannon shoots...so why in the world would anyone let a dog ride loose.

Also they can be a distraction as one car crash on national tv sited. Man took eyes off the road to push dog out of his face and he killed the person in front of him...why

dog was in his LAP..
Many women ride with Lasso Apso, Maltese, and Poodles in their laps...NOT A SMART MOVE...IT HAS BEEN PROVEN..

CRATES IN BACK OF TRUCKS AND IN YOUR SUV SHOULD  be BUNGIED to the restraint bolts or some part of the stable carriage of your vehicle..

YR