Road dangers for dogs

Properly leashing, securing, and training your pets is crucial to prevent potential injuries from cars and other vehicles. Animals should be secured behind a fence and not allowed to roam freely in neighborhoods. Many pets will run into the road chasing balls, kids, or animals and, if you are not in control of your pet, this can prove to be deadly. Fences should be regularly inspected. Also, persons going into or out of your yard (i.e., lawn maintenance, deliveries, meter readers) need to be told to always secure the gates. Invisible fences with proper training work well for many pets but can have potential problems so they must be installed properly.

Pets should be properly secured inside vehicles during travel; there are a variety of options available, including harnesses, seat belts, pet nets, and crates for securing your pet in a vehicle. Keep the windows rolled up if pets are not secured to prevent your animal from jumping or falling out. As always, consider environmental temperatures when transporting pets in vehicles.

Training your pet is key, because if the leash, fence, or other security measure fails, training is your best defense to protect your pet against an accident and ensure its safety.