Subaru Shares Safety Tips For Dogs Traveling in SUVs

Lori Ennis
by Lori Ennis
A new report released by Subaru and the Center For Pet Safety has shared the safest and most dangerous places for pets in an SUV.


As summer quickly approaches, Subaru of America and the Center For Pet Safety collaborated on a new report that details safe (and unsafe) places for pets in an SUV.


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Summer road trips are on the horizon and as 3-rowed sport utility vehicles (SUVs) become a more popular choice for families, Subaru and the Center For Pet Safety (CPS) shared their recommendations for ensuring the safest travel for furry family members too.


According to the report, pets that are not properly secured in the cars can become airborne, and that can result in injury for both them and their human family members. Subaru and CPS are partnering to raise awareness about the best ways to keep pups safest when on family adventures.


The organizations looked the designs and spacing of -row SUVs and found the best (and worst) places for pets to travel. They then recommended that pets traveling in a 3-row SUV with captain’s chairs be secured in the second or third row. Additionally, they recommended that pets weighing 20 pounds or less could be harnessed or contained in carriers in the 2nd row Captain’s Chair, while pets over 20 pounds should be secured in the 3rd-row bench directly behind one of the Captain’s Chairs for maximum safety.


And while we love the idea of our furry friends hanging with us as we’re on the road, the organizations recommend that pets are never to be placed on the floor between the Captain’s Chairs because they could become projectile in an accident.


Related: Subaru Seizes Snow Days to Fund Ski Patrol Dog Training


If families are traveling with children and pets in 3-row cars with Captain’s Chairs, children should be secure in the 2nd row and pets secured in the 3rd row on the opposite side of the children. Doing so will minimize risks of injury should there be a crash, and help prevent distractions from pets while driving.


Subaru is well-known for many of its drivers being pet-parents, and Subaru of America works to promote pet safety and education for its customers. They recently introduced the biggest Subaru ever built, the Subaru Ascent. The Ascent has three rows of seating with bench or Captain’s Chairs in the second row. In an effort to protect furry and human passengers alike, the 2019 Ascent comes standard with several technological advances that help assist drivers.


In 2013, CPS began testing pet harnesses and their Harness Crashworthiness Study looked at the differences in pet restraints on the market, citing many could have catastrophic failures that could bring serious injury to pets and humans in vehicles. The partnership with Subaru of America continued as they looked at travel harnesses, crates and carriers.

Lori Ennis
Lori Ennis

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