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At KeepDoggieSafe, we take your dog's safety seriously. After reviewing this study from consumer reports, we are only stocking the SleepyPod dog safety harnesses.
Here's the report:
Dog harnesses for cars may not be as safe as you think
Study finds many vehicle pet restraints are inadequate in crash tests
To understand the safety that restraints can provide in an accident, the CPS looked at systems that manufacturers claimed were tested, crash tested, or have crash protection. They based the test on FMVSS 213 standard, which is the procedure currently used to certify child safety seats. The organization will use the data to help develop standards for performance and test protocols of restraint systems, since there are currently no such industry guidelines.
The CPS purchased a variety of harnesses and the testing occurred in two phases. Each harness was first subjected to a preliminary strength test; if the harness remained intact during the strength test, it would continue on to the crash test portion of the evaluation. Of the 11 harnesses that claim crash protection, only seven passed the initial strength portion of the test and therefore qualified for the crash test evaluation. The systems were tested using specially designed crash test dummy dogs in three sizes: a 25 lb. Terrier mix, a 45 lb. Border Collie, and a 75 lb. Golden Retriever.
The Sleepypod Clickit Utility was the top performer. The dog remained restrained during every test and was deemed to offer protection to not only the pet, but to the passengers in the car.
The Sleepypod Sports Harness also passed the Center for Pet Safety Crash Tests that were performed separately from the Subaru Crash Tests.
The other harnesses that were crash tested—Klein Metal AllSafe, Cover Craft RuffRider Roadie, RC Pet Canine Friendly Crash Tested, Bergan Dog Auto Harness, Kurgo Tru-Fit Enhanced Strength, and IMMI PetBuckle—did not perform as well.
Some of the harnesses allowed the dog to launch off of the seat; others did not control the rotation of the dog. The worst products were labeled catastrophic failures, as they allowed the dog to become a projectile or be released from the restraint. That occurred in the IMMI model in all dog sizes, Kurgo in the 25 lb. and 75 lb. size, and the Bergan model in the 75 lb. size.
Keep Your Dog Safe & Secure, if you can't afford the safety harnesses, please get a dog seat belt tether to secure your dog when traveling in the car!
Wag Safely,
Top Dog
Sources: Consumer Reports- June 21, 2015 , Center for Pet Safety 2015 Pet Travel Seat Pilot Summary Report
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