How to Keep Your Pets Safe and Secure in the Car

Restraining your pets is as much about your safety as theirs. If a vehicle brakes heavily or is involved in a crash, an unrestrained pet—of any size—hurtling through the cabin can be a dangerous projectile that risks injury to human occupants and to the animal. Loose pets could also be a driver distraction.

Many products are available to help restrain our furry friends, but unlike restraints for humans, there are no standards or industry tests for pet restraints. Even those labeled “crash-tested” are usually based only on each manufacturer’s claims and not indications that the products meet a standard requirement.

The nonprofit group Center for Pet Safety, with support from Subaru, conducted independent tests of dog crates, harnesses, and carriers. The top-performing models from the Center for Pet Safety’s 2015 tests include:

Carriers
PetEgo Jet Set Forma Frame Carrier with an Isofix-LATCH connection, $252, and Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed with PPRS Handilock, $170 to $190.

Crates
Gunner Kennels G1 Intermediate, $500, with 8-inch tie-down straps, $75 additional.

Harnesses
Sleepypod Clickit Sport and Clickit Utility, $70 to $100. Prices may vary.

For more information, go to centerforpetsafety.­org.

Editor's Note: This article also appeared in the November 2016 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.

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