In honor of Pet Travel Safety Day on January 2, we wanted to bring you some helpful tips and tutorials to safely drive with your furry friend this New Year.

When traveling with your pet, it is vitally important to make sure they are properly secured in the vehicle. Not only is this for their safety, but it is for yours as well. Nearly 30% of all drivers travel with pets admit that they are distracted by their pet’s movements. So, make sure your furry friend is properly restrained.
If traveling with cats and most small dogs, we recommend that you secure them in a crate or carrier. The crate should be large enough for your pet to stand, sit, lie down and turn around in. And, make sure to line the carrier with a towel and pack some extras in case that one gets soiled.
And make sure you secure your pet’s crate so it will not slide or shift in the event of an abrupt stop. While it is intuitive for most people to “buckle up” their pet’s carrier – DON’T! Unless the manufacturer provides you with crash test video to illustrate structural integrity, using a seatbelt to secure a carrier can actually crush the carrier if you get into an accident. Put the small carrier on the floor of the vehicle behind the front passenger or driver seat.
If you have a large dog or if you decide to forgo the crate, please don't allow your pet to ride with his head outside the window, and always keep him in the back seat in a harness attached to a seat buckle. Dog car harnesses and booster seats keep your pet safe - and keep the driver free of distractions - when traveling with a pet.
Dog auto harnesses and booster seats also help keep your pet safer in the event of sudden stops. Booster seats give your dog a helpful boost for better viewing as you travel, so the journey is more fun… and more safe… for everyone!
For some suggestions on travel crates, harnesses, and booster seats, as well as to check out the other videos in this mini-series, please visit the Humane Society website.