Take notice of this photo, it's important! See where the safety lead is attached, at the collar? That is a big no-no! & That little problem is exactly what I wanted to talk about here. As people begin traveling again, and inevitably taking their dogs with them, I've noticed a lot more of these 'dog seat belt leads' and the like being sold everywhere it seems. But what I'm noticing a lot of people don't know (including the above advertising photo from one seller on Chewy), is these leads are ONLY safe when used properly--and "properly" is attached to the harness, NOT collar. A dog's harness is designed to redistribute their weight more evenly. And in the event of a vehicle accident, the dog needs to be tethered to the seat, not just for their safety, but for yours too. If your vehicle rolls or is sent flying at high speeds, your most precious pet is now a dangerous projectile, with teeth, inside your vehicle. But if they are attached to a lead, either via the seatbelt or headrest, they'll have a greater chance of surviving the accident. However, if you've attached the lead to your dog's collar, instead of harness, all of that jerking motion will be directed at their neck, instead of redistributed around their chest/ribcage. What that means, is your fur baby could possibly break their neck/back if they're jerked around on the lead in the accident. I know this is terrible to say, but I have to get it out there, because restraining your dog inside the vehicle really is best! But it only works best if you have a harness too, that way your dog's weight is distributed more evenly and they'll have a better chance at survival in the case of an awful traffic accident.
Now I know that's not the kind of thoughts we like to have, believe me. This wasn't something I thought about until I had my own business and realized the dangers/liability every time a person transports an animal. Especially because no matter how "good" of a driver you are, that doesn't account for everyone else on the road. So if you're going to travel with your dogs, the best way is with restraints, properly paired with a harness. Because it's not just for their safety, but yours too!
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