From pit bulls to pomeranians, use a carrier on those holiday road trips
When we travel during the holidays we tend to take the whole family. Sometimes this includes the family pets. They ride inside the vehicle or in the bed of a truck and we don’t think twice about it.
Just like us, our pets are vulnerable to injury when involved in a vehicle crash. We take the time to make sure that our children are buckled in and secured in their child safety seats so why do we forget to do the same for our pets?
Many of you may not be aware of devices which are manufactured to keep your pets safe while traveling. These include carriers and harnesses which attach to your vehicles current safety belt system. You can find more information on these by utilizing the internet.
A loose pet inside a vehicle can be thrown around should you get in a crash. This not only risks injury to the pet but to the other occupants of the vehicle as well. The roads will soon start to get icy and people are very much in a hurry this time of year. This increases the possibility of you and your pet being involved in a crash.
Make sure that all the occupants of your vehicle including your pets are safely secured as you never know when a crash is going to occur. Take care of your pets and they will give you years of love and devotion.
— Sgt. Scott McDaniel is with the Carson City Sheriff’s Office and contributes regular public safety columns.