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RSS FeedShould dogs be allowed to ride in cars?
Results so far:
| Yes | 91% | 120 votes | Total: 132 votes | |
| No | 9% | 12 votes |
Yes
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I voted yes and then questioned my decision. So, I vote yes, but under certain conditions. I am disabled and have a Pekingese therapy dog that loves to ride in the car but I don't always take him with me. I will tell you why in a bit. Having a law that bans dogs from ever riding in a car should never be. Having a law for the owners of dogs to be educated on how a dog should be a passenger in a car, should be passed.
My dog, Casey Jones, always rides in car, restrained, safely and comfortably. There a few different types of constraints you can buy depending on the size of your dog. Since Casey is a small dog, at 11 pounds, he is attached to a car seat that he sits on that connects to his soft, over the head harness. For larger dogs they make a strap that connects to your seat belt and then directly to your dogs harness. Since the first time Casey Jones ever rode in the car that is where he sits, safely. The seat is held in by my cars seat belt and I have the seat belts that connect to him just loose enough for him to lay on his side and sit up. He can see out the windows as to not get car sick. He loves to go for rides and literally jumps onto his seat when I open the car door and he has never even thought he should sit anywhere else in the car. Not only is this safe me but if I ever have to stop quickly or am in an accident Casey won't end up flying in the car or heaven forbid out of the car.
I recently was in an accident when I was coming home from the vet with Casey when I was hit from behind. Casey was in his seat and survived just fine. He did end up off his seat on the side of it, but uninjured. I on the other hand had my shoulder lap belt combo on but ended up with multiple injuries! The impact was severe enough that it totaled my car, (it was a 1989 Volvo 760 sedan, and the damages outweighed it's value) hence why it was a total. I am convinced that had Casey not been in his car seat, which was in the middle of the back seat, he would have been severely injured if not killed.
OK..I got a bit long winded on my accident but I can not stress enough the importance of if your dog goes anywhere with you in the car he or she should be safely restrained. I can't tell you how crazy it makes me when I see dogs riding in cars with their faces out the window, just a matter of time before something hits their eye and blinds them, or dogs laying up on the back window seat, a perfect spot for them to exit the car early when you get in an accident or dogs that sit on the drivers lap when they are driving which is real cute until you have to stop quickly and the dog and the steering wheel become one! Let's not forget the dogs who get lucky and ride in the back of an open truck bed unrestrained, never mind their fate if an accident happens, just stopping normally in traffic and they are likely to be thrown around like a ball! Now I may be exaggerating somewhat that this is the inevitable outcome but why would you ever take a chance with your dog who you consider a part of your family to the point that you take them with you in the car?
Now to why I don't always take Casey Jones with me. When it's too hot or too cold and I can't take him in to where I am going he stays home, where he is safe.
So, I do stand by my yes vote on whether dogs should be allowed to ride in cars. Casey is my best buddy and he loves to be with me all the time. If your dog is like Casey and part of your family do them a favor and use common sense on when they should go for rides with you in the car or leave them at home. But if they do come along love them enough to restrain them for their safety and yours and mine.
Learn more about this author, Michele Strand.
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No
First of all, in no shape or form should dogs be allowed to DRIVE in cars. Driving a vehicle is a purely human act and should not be allowed to animals who are incapable of knowing all of our laws and regulations. Plus, the physical structure of most dogs would either cause them to not be able to reach the pedal or to be put into too awkward of a position to drive. I doubt many people would advocate for dogs actually driving the vehicle.
As for riding in cars, that is a stickier issue. For some drivers, it is great to have a companion with them. However, this comfort comes with costs. The main problem with having dogs in a car is that they are a distraction.
Many dogs have an inability to stay still for a long period of time. This is the biggest problem with having them in cars. If a dog is wandering in a car, it is very possible that they will cause an obstruction to the person driving. This could include blocking the view of the driver, causing them to be unable to judge the safety of their situation (especially when lane-changing), and could also result from the dog moving in a way that is distracting. An example of the latter would be the dog trying to climb onto the driver's lap or getting their paws on something they aren't supposed to be messing with.
Some dog owners are convinced that their dogs can be well-behaved no matter what. This is great. However, we can't cater the law to a certain group of people. For every dog that can behave well in a car, there will be a bunch that cannot. This would be impossible or at least extremely difficult to test, so there is no way of knowing which dogs may or may not be safe to drive with.
Even with well-behaved dogs, they are still distracting. If they weren't, and you were able to completely ignore their existence, why would you bring them in the first place? If you're driving them to the park, just walk them there. It will be healthier for you and the dog.
I know that some dog owners are really attached to their pets, but needing to drive around with them everywhere is a bit much. If you want a companion, bring a friend who can understand the danger of distracting a driver from the road. It is unfortunate that those dogs who can behave would not be able to ride in a car, but there's no way to provide an exception for them when we can't determine which dogs are or are not safe to drive with. The truth is, the majority of dogs have a good chance of distracting the driver and instigating a car accident. Driving already is a dangerous activity; there is no need to further reduce road safety by introducing external interferences.
Learn more about this author, Kayley Freshman-Caffrey.
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