Dogs in motorhomes (3 Viewers)

[xsparks]

I was unaware of the rules in Spain, but I was recently fined €40 by a motorcycle cop for not having my dog secured. He was quietly sitting between our two front seats causing no problem but obviously not in compliance with Spanish law. Regardless how obedient your pet may be its fairly obvious that a restraint makes sense. Why else do we wear seatbelts. Surely not just because its the law or regulation.

 

[Bernie P]

Dog Cage for us. ust transfer it from the car to the motorhome as required. Dogs happy to curl up in it. When parked up we stow it in the front passenger footwell

 

[skylinersi]

but he does usually wear a belt..........................

 

[skylinersi]

but never when he's been on the beer...........

 

[1881TB]

I suppose

Some are obsessed by ‘is it or is it not against the law’ criteria and it seems if they are going to get fined or not. The real point is do you want a missile hitting you on the back of your head, or a distraction whilst driving, or to injure your beloved pet?

I suppose what I'm really saying is that I think the likelihood of myself or (worse ) my dogs being harmed because they are not tethered /harnessed in the event of an accident is so small as not to be worth the inconvenience to both me and them of being so restrained on every journey. But if it's illegal, I will need to obey the law.

I think it's interesting that the government haven't legislated when I would have thought that just one road death caused by an unrestrained pet would be enough to do so.

The 22% of vets don't really convince (what did the other 78% say?)

I agree that the cost doesn't have anything to do with it. If I really thought a dog on the floor behind my seat was a danger I'd do something about it

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[aztecannie]

OMG that’s my dog! What type is he?

 

[skylinersi]

OMG that’s my dog! What type is he?

he's a russian black terrier, or to be precise a russian black terrorist......

 

[aztecannie]

Here’s mine....

 

[skylinersi]

Here’s mine....

aw, rbt as well then i take it?

 

[Bobandfay]

Looks like ours but she is a labradoodle she travels in a cage behind drivers seat.

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[aztecannie]

No mine is Retriever/S.Poodle

 

[Gellyneck]

As an aside to those not restraining their pet, it may be sensible to check insurance policy as most (if not all) insurers now expect animals to be properly restrained.
There may also be an issue under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 around responsibility for the pets safety and well-being.

 

[Chriseui]

Having a 48Kg GSD travelling with us, a cage is the safest option. Harnesses left the dog move too much before it restrains, it's not like a vehicle seat belt and dogs don't sit on one position for the whole journey.

As it's behind the passenger seat the passenger can easily reassure the animal and the cage is in the best position and won't come flying down the length of the van!

 

[Gellyneck]

a cage is the safest option

Our mutt is a rescue dog and, unfortunately, he goes mental if we try to put him in a cage! We think he may have been mistreated before we got him so harness is the only viable option for us.

 

[tonyidle]

A dog attached to one of the commercially-available harnesses is no guarantee that there is protection in an accident. The last time I looked such harnesses came with a disclaimer. A cage not attached to the vehicle at least as well as a seatbelt mounting is simply a bigger missile in an accident. It would probably burst open anyway. Most important, I would have thought, is ensuring that the pet cannot become a distraction whilst driving. Maybe something could be designed for children . And the contents of kitchen cupboards. And maybe the fridge.

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[Auntyjan]

It is a hefty fine and 6 points on your license for having any animal unsecured in a vehicle. In the event of an accident your pooch becomes a missile that could kill you on the way through the windscreen. Without a crash passed harness or crate, your pup could still end up badly injured or worse.

 

[pandas]

A dog attached to one of the commercially-available harnesses is no guarantee that there is protection in an accident. The last time I looked such harnesses came with a disclaimer. A cage not attached to the vehicle at least as well as a seatbelt mounting is simply a bigger missile in an accident. It would probably burst open anyway. Most important, I would have thought, is ensuring that the pet cannot become a distraction whilst driving. Maybe something could be designed for children . And the contents of kitchen cupboards. And maybe the fridge.

my understanding was that all passengers and the driver should wear an appropriate and approved seatbelt. I am not sure there would be many motorhome dog lovers that would leave their grandchildren (or children) asleep on the back seat without a seat belt.

 

[gus-lopez]

Some are obsessed by ‘is it or is it not against the law’ criteria and it seems if they are going to get fined or not. The real point is do you want a missile hitting you on the back of your head, or a distraction whilst driving, or to injure your beloved pet?

Mine is restrained but the 30kg tool box isn't.

I was unaware of the rules in Spain, but I was recently fined €40 by a motorcycle cop for not having my dog secured. He was quietly sitting between our two front seats causing no problem but obviously not in compliance with Spanish law. Regardless how obedient your pet may be its fairly obvious that a restraint makes sense. Why else do we wear seatbelts. Surely not just because its the law or regulation.

There isn't a "law" .The only requirement is that they are "suitably restrained". Mine is attached to an additional seat belt fixing attached to one of the 2 front seat belt anchor points & clips in to that. & either lays where yours does or at the bottom of the slope behind my feet.
My spanish vehicle can legally carry 4 people. ( shown on the log book) there are only 2 seat belts for the front. I carry people in the rear at their own risk so why would I put up with the dog , securely retrained , being a fine when the 2 passengers aren't ?
You met a knob head. Sometimes you just have to swallow it .

This is the info from Royal Auto Club of Spain( RACE) in conjunction with Royal Canin

If there was any specific law it would be stated. No6 on back page states system of retaining. Pictures show perfectly ok dog on seat restrained.

he's a russian black terrier, or to be precise a russian black terrorist......

Spanish neighbours of a friend have one of those. Great big things aren't they ?

It is a hefty fine and 6 points on your license for having any animal unsecured in a vehicle. In the event of an accident your pooch becomes a missile that could kill you on the way through the windscreen. Without a crash passed harness or crate, your pup could still end up badly injured or worse.

The dog is in front of me & the tool box would be of more concern.

 

[gus-lopez]

Sorry .Photo's up right way here.

 

[Cagem]

One more for harnesses clipped to D rings on the floor.

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[jimairi]

Don't want to get on anyone's nerves , but here is my tuppence worth. Having 30 years work experience at road accidents I have never seen a single injury caused by a flying unsecured pet. I have seen accidents caused by pets distracting the driver and even jumping on the drivers lap. If you have a well behaved pet and are happy they will do neither of these things then that's your choice. Horse are not secured in horse boxes and when involved in a collision, the energy involved in them being thrown about the horse box is more likely to cause injury to passengers in the tow vehicle than a flying dog or cat in the vehicle. Each to their own though take your own precautions.

 

[tonyidle]

my understanding was that all passengers and the driver should wear an appropriate and approved seatbelt. I am not sure there would be many motorhome dog lovers that would leave their grandchildren (or children) asleep on the back seat without a seat belt.

I wasn't very clear: it was a cheap remark about correctly belted but argumentative or fighting kids being driven by Mum on her own. I can't believe any rational person wouldn't have their kids correctly seated and restrained. Mind you my cars didn't have any way of fitting car seats or rear seatbelts whilst my daughters were growing up. I have never owned a car with rear seatbelts.

 

[Steve494]

As others have said I would ALWAYS secure my dog on all journeys.
Nothing to do with whether there is a law or not but simply because I love my boy.

I use bikes, motorbikes, cars, vans and my motorhome and one thing for sure based on experience is that other road users have no respect or understanding of motorhomes and ‘have’ to get in front or pull out or squeeze in front. Personally I think this dates back to not that many years ago when most motorhomes on the road were older and very much slower and thus the stereotypical motorhome was born. In a newer MH like mine I can keep up with traffic and accelerate as good as the average car.
What I’m trying to say (badly) is that it doesn’t matter how good you think you drive if you have an accident it most probably won’t be under your control.
In an accident you don’t want your beloved pet injured or outside the MH in a panic on a busy road.

Back to the OP question.
We only have two seatbelts so I put my boy in a harness and secure that to a table leg base which is just behind the passenger seat. He has just enough slack to lay in between our two seats.

 

[Gizmouk]

Grip Fill and a Hilti Gun

 

[Liz and Colin]

We have been told if our dogs are not restrained and we are in an accident our insurance is not valid, hence we have them on harness and attached to the seat belts. the risk is to much when driving such a vehicle.

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[pxh38257]

At 60kg we have a harness with a seat belt attachment. We have the belt just long enough so she can sit or lay down between our seats.