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| Would you stick your head out of the window? |
Safer Inside, a dog safety campaign launched today at Crufts by Tavo Pets, Vet Surgeon Dr Scott Miller and Dog Behaviourist Adem Fehmi, reveals 26% of UK motorists who own a dog admit to travelling with their dog in this critically unsafe way. The campaign aims to raise awareness and change behaviour.
Dr Scott Miller told That's Pets: “It’s a familiar sight on the UK’s roads, but a dog with its head sticking out of the car window, is at risk of eye-abrasions, debris or worse, jumping or falling from the moving car.
"Tavo’s research revealed why owners are putting their dog at risk and the most shocking to me was a combined 48% weren’t even thinking about the welfare of their dog at all. 28% do it because they think it looks cute, and 20% because pedestrians enjoy it. That’s an estimated 3.5 million dogs being put in direct danger purely for ‘entertainment’.”
The Tavo Safer Inside research also revealed of those who allow their dog to travel in this way, 71% claim the dog enjoys it, 70% do it to give the dog fresh air and 43% believe it puts the dog at ease.
Expert dog behaviourist Adem Fehmi explains why this might not be so. “Dog behaviour is complex. Whilst some owners think a dog panting, with its head out of the window, is a sign they're enjoying the fresh air, panting can in fact be a sign of stress. Sitting inside a crash-tested carrier, inside the vehicle is the best option for creating security and a calm, happy dog.”
Lucy MacLeod, Borough Commander, Hammersmith & Fulham, London Fire Brigade offers a sobering perspective from the emergency services: “As firefighters we attend road traffic collisions across the country every day, and we unfortunately see the consequences when pets aren’t safely restrained in vehicles. As a dog handler and rescue specialist, I understand more than most how important it is to keep dogs properly secured when travelling.
“When we arrive at incidents the environment is loud, chaotic and stressful. Even the calmest well-trained dog can panic or react unpredictably around flashing lights, noise and unfamiliar people.
"This creates additional risks for emergency responders and members of the public alike. Keeping dogs safely secured inside the vehicle helps protect them, protects the people travelling with them, and allows us to carry out rescues safely.”
Tavo is leading safe pet travel with its range of occupant crash‑tested pet car seats, carriers and crates. Meeting the latest R129 United Nations ECE child restraint standards, these car seats use the vehicle’s integrated ISOFIX system to prevent rotation and provide maximum protection in the event of a collision.
The Safer Inside campaign builds on Tavo’s global initiative, Imagine the Impact, which calls for greater awareness of the dangers of unsecured pets in vehicles.
