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[Sir Tigger KC]

Are there any rules and regs governing this? 

I have a female friend who lives in France and is moving back to Blighty and she has 2 dogs a Westie and a big black Lab.    She's selling her LHD French Hyundai Tucson over there and has been planning to buy a car here for when she returns.  Despite my advice that she needs something practical like the Tucson, shes gone and put a deposit on a Renault Megane cabriolet! 

When I enquired where the dogs will go she replied that the Westie will go on the front seat and the Lab on the back seat.    All well and good and of course the dogs will fit, but I'm wondering about the implications of an accident and the results of 30 -40 Kgs of an unrestrained big dog on the back seat?    Could be very messy! 

It's obviously daft as..... but I'm just wondering if there are any rules and regs or insurance implications to try and dissuade her.   

Women!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

[JamesV6CDX]

This is the single very reason I have the omega estate with metal dog guard.

You can get a harness that goes around the body of the dog and clips into the seatbelt anchors. I've never used one though in my saloon.. I don't want springer paws on my leather thank you!!

[Sir Tigger KC]

It seems that the Highway Code says that dogs should be restrained, so if she is determined to have this Megane she will have to get a couple of harnesses.    and yes James it will get trashed in short order! 

Head, brick wall banging!!   

[Varche]

We use an Ancol harness for our medium sized dog and secure him to a seat belt. We also have a cage for the back. Both are effective

There must be something in the Highway code about securing a dog so it cannot interfere with the driver and fly around in a crash.

Spanish police are hot on people having loose items on back seat that could damage you in the event of an emergency stop.

[aaronjb]

Couple of harnesses that plug into the seatbelt anchor, problem solved and she can drive her convertible.

Stop being such a debbie downer

[Sir Tigger KC]

Not being a doggie kind of guy, I didn't know that you could get harness's that plug in to the seat belt sockets.    So I guess it's all right..... 

The thought of wet muddy dogs scrabbling all over the back seats just makes me shudder!!    An Omega estate with a dog grill or cage in the back seems the way forward to me! 

[aaronjb]

Ah I see where you're going with this now..

You want her to have a car that needs constant maintenance so you have an excuse to help the damsel in distress! 

[Sir Tigger KC]

No, but I'll happily point her in your direction if you want Aaron!     

Do you like 'High Maintenance' women?        I'm sure Lord Opti has plenty of advice about dealing with such girls!     

[Andy B]

It seems that the Highway Code says that dogs should be restrained, so if she is determined to have this Megane she will have to get a couple of harnesses.    and yes James it will get trashed in short order! 

Head, brick wall banging!!   

I'm sure that's just a recommendation 

[Sir Tigger KC]

I think you are right Andy.  This is the wording....

When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.

I guess the main thing is that there is a possibility of insurance invalidation if a dog isn't restrained and there is an accident. 

Not to mention 20 kgs of labrador bouncing about in a shunt!   

[BazaJT]

I have a harness for my dog,this wraps around her chest/back and up between her front legs.once on there is a loop through which the seat belt is passed and then fastens in the normal way.I don't think I'd be happy with her on the front seat for the airbag firing off in an accident.I bought it for her as 1] I don't fancy the idea of her coming to harm in an accident which may have been avoided by having her restrained and 2]In such an accident the idea of her becoming a cannonball does not bear thinking about!

[Andy B]

I've had a look for a harness for Molly, trouble is, the seat belts in the very back of my (estate-ish) car aren't accesable with the seat back stowed away, and all the harnesses I saw were designed for use with a seat belt. A harness would need a question mark shaped clip at the car end. And I'm sure she'd manage to tie herself in knots by the time I got to the end of the street.

[Rods2]

The trouble with dog harnesses that you use with seat belts is that it gets expensive when the your dog decides it is bored and the belt makes a bone substitute. Never happened to me of course, oh no. At MOT time when replacing Omega ones, you also have the extra complexity of needing to find the right colour if you want to replace like for like.

[05omegav6]

Ours always either went in the boot, metal Gm grate in place, or on blankets on the back seat with the belt fastened through the lead handle. Kept them in the back, but gave them scope to move about a bit.

Considering one of two options for the white estate, if I keep it intact,... Remove the back seat completely and build a dog box/ storage pod or have a frame made to mount two front seats with a cool box in place of the rear bench

[Steve B]