Make Sure Your Pointer’s Car Rides are Safe

There’s a very good reason behind all the publicity about people needing to wear seat belts while they’re driving or riding in cars. Countless studies show that when a car’s occupants are strapped in securely, they’re much more likely to be able to walk away if there’s an accident. By now, we’ve all had it drummed into our heads, and in fact, in most places it’s illegal to not wear seat belts. But how many of us think about this in the context of our dogs riding in our cars?

I know I didn’t, and I came to regret it. My Pointer loved to ride in my car and would happily sit in the back seat, whether the drive was long or short. He never bothered anything – he just wanted to watch the world go by as we drove down the road.

Well, one day I had to swerve suddenly and slam on the brakes to avoid hitting a car that pulled out in front of me. Naturally, I was okay because I was wearing my seat belt. Not so for my Pointer, though. The sudden stop caught him off guard and slammed him right into the back of the front seat, injuring his neck.

Fortunately, a few visits to the vet fixed him up but it could have turned out much differently – the vet told me that if he wasn’t so muscular, my Pointer’s neck could have been broken. He suggested that I get a car harness to keep it from happening again. It’s a specially-designed harness that clips onto the seat belt mechanism in order to safely restrain your dog if you’re in an accident. I went out and got one right away. Now we both ride safely, protected by our seat belts.