UPTOURIST

There are a few interesting things to learn about pet travel in this graphic.

Love the “scary truth” section:

Those of us who think nothing about opening the door to the car, truck or van and letting the little or big guy into the back seat unrestrained now have cause to think twice, hunh?

I admit that my lab does some pretty weird stuff when I’m driving. He instinctively knows when we’re going on a long drive down the highway and he has this sneaky little move he does where he’ll quickly move from a seated position in the passenger seat by standing, doing a quick twirl and then park his keister on my lap. Not something you want to be not expecting when going at highway speeds!

Also, watch out for cars that have the window switch right on the door itself. Darcy almost choked himself to death one day in an old Intrepid I was driving at the time — yet another potential accident-causing distraction too!

I thought I understood a thing or two about physics but the thing about a 60-pound dog becoming a 2,700 pound projectile while driving at 35 mph was a real eye opener. At that kind of force they’re unlikely to survive.

Everyone talks about pet kennels for vehicles and I’m starting to understand why.

Do you restrain your dog when road-tripping? If not, did this graphic make you change your thinking?

 

Main image by Steve Baker