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About how many dogs are injured from an accident in which they jumped out of cars?
Roughly 38.5 million - Dr. Tufaro
Did these dogs tend to be large, small, or both?
In my experience, the majority were medium to large breed dogs. I think if I had to postulate the majority of injuries sustained to a canine size, it would be large and medium sized breeds. I think the majority of owner’s do not think about an injury occurring or the type(s) of injuries that could occur. It has not been a focal point from the veterinary community to date. Hopefully, moving forward that will change. - Dr. Allison Brown
Do you think a dog should be fully restraint in a car, or partially restrained to have the freedom to stick its head out of the window? Please explain why.
I believe dogs should be fully restrained in the rear of the vehicle in an approved seatbelt made with specifications to size, breed and age. Size, of course is a major factor, but different breeds have different chest dimensions/depths and require unique fitting, i.e Dachshunds vs. Maltese etc.. - Dr. Allison Brown
Do you have any suggestions for a doggy car restraint that would keep the dog as comfortable and relaxed as possible?
I do believe seatbelts or dog restraining system should be breed, size and even temperament specific. For instance, dogs that have a very deep chest should have a soft padding that fits under their arms and chest area or any points used for restraint. A consideration for very anxious dogs would be a mechanism where a shirt, sweater/coat could somehow be attached to the seatbelt itself inducing a calming effect to the pet. - Dr. Allison Brown
Do you think unrestrained dogs create a distraction to the driver? Is retraining them an effective way to prevent possible distraction?
I do believe an unrestrained dog can be a danger to the driver and a huge distraction while driving. To date, NJ is the only state that has enforced consequences and laws surrounding restraint of pets while driving. I think if we consider the fact that any dog can be injured unrestrained in a moving vehicle, just like a child, the answer should be obvious to us all. - Dr, Allison Brown
Do you live in the New York Tri-State area?
Do you live in the New York Tri-State area?
The purpose of this question was more to determine whether or not the people answering were from somewhere where they were required by law to restrain their dogs in the car. Of the 11 that were from outside the New York tri-state area, 4 of them lived in places where restraining dogs in the car is required.
How many dogs do you own?
How many dogs do you own?
Finally, this question gave us insight into how many dogs each of the respondents owned. Typically, people with multiple dogs were less likely to restrain their dogs in the car.
Do you own a car?
Do you own a car?
This was intended to gauge the authority of the consumers to discuss the issue. Generally, the majority of the sample size owned cars and thus would be able to answer the following questions with a personal relation/ knowledge of the issue.
How often do you drive with your dog as a passenger?
How often do you drive with your dog as a passenger?
This was something of a part 2 to the previous question. It was meant to gauge the authority of the consumers to discuss the issue. However, it also gave us insight into how often the possible consumer drives with their dog and thus, how often the problem occurs/ the product will be used.
Does your dog enjoy car rides/sticking its head out the window?
Does your dog enjoy car rides/sticking its head out the window?
It seems like the possible consumer’s dog would prefer to stick it’s head out the window, so it is worth noting that the product should allow for mobility/ allow for the dog to stick its head out the window.
If you drive with your dog, do you restrain your dog?
If you drive with your dog, do you restrain your dog?
This question was a problem justification question-- the majority of people asked do not restrain their dogs in the car.
Are you aware that there are dog seat belts on the market?
Are you aware that there are dog seat belts on the market?
This was also a problem justification question-- while the majority were aware of dog restraints for the car, a good amount of the sample size was not. It is possible that the lack of use of restraints can be attributed to lack of knowledge of their existence.
If you don't restrain your dog, why not?
If you don't restrain your dog, why not?
This question was aimed at those who don’t use restraints. It served as a problem justification question as well as gave us insight on why dog seat belts weren’t being used. Of the given reasons [I didn’t know there are dog seat belts; The restraints are inconvenient to attach to the car; My dog doesn’t like being restrained; I don’t think it’s necessary; My dog is too large/ too small for restraints on the market] it seems that the reasoning for not using restraints is a culmination of almost all these reasons. There was also an option to explain a reason that was not listed and for this portion, most people explained that they prefer to just hold their dog on their lap. With this in mind, we are aware of what pushes people away from using the restraints on the market, which will help us develop our own solution to the issue.
has your dog ever been injured in the car due to lack of restraint?
has your dog ever been injured in the car due to lack of restraint?
While the majority of the sample size reported that their dogs have never been injured in the car, there is still a sizable amount that reported otherwise. This, in a way, emphasizes the severity of the issue.
If you were more aware of the dangers of not restraining your dog in the car, would you restrain them?
If you were more aware of the dangers of not restraining your dog in the car, would you restrain them?
This question was intended to determine whether or not a solution involving spreading awareness would be effective. The majority of the respondents agreed that if they knew more about the issue, they would be more receptive to changing their current routine in order to provide safety for their pets.
Do you feel that your dog can be distracting while you drive?
Do you feel that your dog can be distracting while you drive?
This is another justification question. The majority of those questioned believed that their dogs create a distraction in the car while they drive. This, again, proves that the problem exists.
Do you think restraining your dog will help reduce this distraction?
Do you think restraining your dog will help reduce this distraction?
Finally, we see that the majority of people believe restraining their dog will reduce the distraction dogs create in the car. This is a justification for the problem as well as a justification for the possible solution.
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