The BSAVA endorses the use of restraining devices for companion animals travelling in motor vehicles. Cats and smaller animals should be contained within purpose designed and appropriately restrained ‘pet carriers’ whereas dogs may best be restrained by the use of a ‘dog seat belt’. Dog seat belts are recommended where dogs travel in the interior passenger area of a vehicle, rather than for dogs travelling in the rear of an estate car separated from human passengers by a purposed-designed ‘dog guard’. Restrained animals are less likely to cause distraction to the driver of the motor vehicle, and there are two clear benefits to such restraint in the event of a motor vehicle accident:

There is anecdotal clinical evidence that unrestrained animals may be forced at high velocity through a vehicle after impact, thus sustaining more extensive injury than had the animal been restrained.

In the event of a motor vehicle accident, the driver and human passengers may be placed at an additional risk of trauma caused by high velocity contact with unrestrained pets in the car.

There is excellent scientific evidence pertaining to the increased risk to front-seat occupants of unbelted rear-seat human passengers, and little reason to suspect that this risk would be lessened by an unrestrained animal.

The BSAVA is aware that there are various types and manufacturers of dog seat belts, and limited scientific evaluation of their effectiveness is available.  Furthermore, the BSAVA recognizes that some dogs may be resistant to the use of such apparatus and therefore recommends that the seat belt be introduced to a dog in a considered fashion, with positive associations being made with its use in a neutral context before using it in the car itself. This will involve introducing the dog to the seat belt at home before using it in the car and using food rewards or play to reward the dog for wearing the apparatus. Once the dog is happy to wear the seat belt while playing or eating his dinner at home the owner can then start to use the belt in the car. However, initially it should be used for very short periods of restraint in a stationary car and once the dog accepts this it can then be used for restraining the dog in a moving car.

References

Ichikawa et al., 2002.  Mortality of front-seat occupants attributable to unbelted rear-seat passengers in car crashes.  Lancet 359:43-44.

MacLennan et al., 2004.  Risk of injury for occupants of motor vehicle collisions from unbelted occupants.  Inj Prev 10: 363-7.

Mayrose et al., 2005.  Influence of the unbelted rear-seat passenger on driver mortality: ‘the backseat bullet’.  Acad Emerg Med 12:130-134.

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents website:  www.rospa.com/roadsafety/info/pets.pdf

Approval:  BSAVA Council as Policy Statement No. 38 (Restraint of Companion Animals in Motor Vehicles) 2004.
Recent update: May 2006