Car Magazine-Four legged Animals-Cars24.in

Four-legged Friend in the Car

The driver is responsible that the road safety of the car does not suffer from the load or cargo (also animals). Because of that the following points have to be taken in consideration:

	Disturbance or endangerment of the driver caused by an animal which moves in the car (risk of accidents).
	Actuarial problems could be the consequence.
	Danger of injury in case of an impact of the animal: Because of the fact that at a speed of 50 km/h the dead weight momentarily has an effect of about 30 times more than the normal weight of the body it is clear that also animals have to be protected form the risk of being thrown to the front.
	Auto safety systems for animals.

Legal regulations for safety systems for animals do not exist. So it makes sense to pay attention to crash test evaluations. New on the market: systems, which use for fastening in the vehicle not the seat belts, but the anchoring for "Isofix" children seat systems.

Animal safety seat - "Doggy-Safe"

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Safety belts for dogs

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Separating frames for car interiors

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Separation net or grid for stowage

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Transport boxes

Animal safety seat - "Doggy-Safe"

The company E:H:V: has developed a crash test evaluated animal safety seat designed after a case, which can be fastened with the safety belt or very practical with the Isofix anchor on the backseat. The animal (up to 9 kg) is secured on it with harness on both sides.

Advantages

Disadvantages

	Good safety for passengers and animal, because the tethers for the animal do not allow long belt slacks.

	Animal cannot disturb the driver. The system can be used as a sleeping place for the animal in a hotel or a guesthouse. Pollution of the car is minor.

	Good support for the animal in case of driving maneuvers because of the plastic bowl.

	Very easy and strong assembly with the Isofix mounting.

	A little bit heavy handed is the mounting in the car with the safety belt.

	Animal has to get used to the harness and the small movement space.

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Safety belts for dogs

These are harness which are guided over the head and torso of the animal and which are fixed either on the safety belt or now also on the Isofix-anchors.

Advantages

Disadvantages

	The risk of injuries for the passengers can be reduced at least with this harness which provide a strong mounting (e.g. broad belts with metal mountings, crash test evaluated).

	The animal can only be thrown as far to the front as far the belt length allows. A short and double sided mounting is favorable (e.g. Isofix-anchor, company EHV).

	Easy to use.

	Regarding fixation on safety belt: A great freedom of space can provoke maximum stress on the body of the animal.

	During severe collisions there is a danger of injury for the animal because of possible impact on the front seat rests.

	Harness with not enough consistence (plastic mountings) can tear apart.

	Animal with too much free space can disturb the driver .

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Separating frames for car interiors (also for limousines)

The company Kleinmetalll has developed a special "high-room" safety separation on the basis of crash tests , which consists of flexible seat belt webbings. It is fixed directly behind the car seats (e.g. behind driver's /co-driver's seat). The animal is sitting free to move on the back seat.

Advantages

Disadvantages

	Strong net fencing which inhibits that the animal is thrown to the front.

	Danger of injury for the animal is minimal.

	Adaptable also in cars with separate trunk.

	A little elaborate mounting / demounting.

	Seats behind the separation not adaptable for passengers.

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Separation net or grid for stowage (reversible back seat rests)

Very often the animals are placed behind a load space margin in station wagons or hatchback limousines. Unfortunately in many older cars the stability of the backseat rests (most of all of divided backrests) is not sufficient. Because of this fact mainly separation grids for loading space in accordance with DIN are recommended, which reach from the stowage top to the bottom and present a stable anchoring.

Advantages

Disadvantages

	When using stable stowage separation grids an additional danger of injury is not to be expected.

	Animal can neither disturb driver nor ambulance personnel.

	Additional stowage safety protection.

	In a bigger trunk (great distance between animal and loading space grid) there is the risk of a peak load affecting the animal in case of an impact.

	Nets and grids, which are not fixed in a stable manner in the vehicle cannot inhibit the breakdown of bigger animals.

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Transport boxes

There are transport boxes in different sizes consisting of plastic/metal which can be used at home as a sleeping place. It is necessary though that the animal has the possibility to get used to the box before the first drive.

Advantages

Disadvantages

	Good safety for the animal is guaranteed when box (including animal) is positioned across the heading behind the back seat rest (e.g. in a station wagon). Big boxes have to be additionally secured, because the stability of the seat rests is partly not enough. Hint:lock the safety belts, even if nobody else is sitting on the back seat.

	The animal is in its familiar sleeping den and protected from certain driving influences and it is insulated from the outside (animal is not nervous).

	Animal can neither disturb driver nor ambulance personnel (after an accident).

	Laborious handling needs some adaptation phase for the animal.

	Autostability of the boxes is insufficient if they are secured without front support (e.g. on the backseat).

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