Yahoo Finance Keep Your Pets Safe in the Car
Q. My dog loves to ride in the car. What’s the best way to keep her safe?
A. It’s important to keep your dog secured just like the rest of your passengers, according to the nonprofit Center for Pet Safety. Jennifer Stockburger, Consumer Reports’ child-safety expert, says “it’s as much about your safety as hers.” That’s because if the vehicle stops short, your unrestrained pet could turn into a dangerous projectile.
Pet products are an unregulated $60 billion industry. Some companies label their products as “tested” or “crash-tested,” but there are no government or industry standards for pet-safety items, says the center’s founder, Lindsey A. Wolko. So the group did its own independent tests of crates, harnesses, and pet carriers. (They were funded by Subaru to cover the costs of the crash tests.)
In the end, only a handful of products earned the center’s crash-test certification. For pet carriers, they were the PetEgo Jet Set Forma Frame Carrier with an Isofix-Latch Connection, $252, and the Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed with PPRS Handilock, $170 to $190. For pet crates, Gunner Kennels G1 Intermediate, $500, with 8’ Tie-Down Straps, $75. And for pet harnesses, the Sleepypod Clickit Sport, $70 to $90, and Sleepypod Clickit Utility, $90 to $100. (Prices vary according to size.) To learn more, go to centerforpetsafety.org.
For related driving information, check our guide to road trips.
Send your questions to ConsumerReports.org/askourexperts.
Editor's Note: This article also appeared in the July 2016 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
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