There we were heading home from a romp on the beach when all of a sudden traffic slowed to a crawl.  It was too early in the morning for it to be the regular tourist traffic.  Also it being a Saturday morning, it couldn’t be road construction slowing us down.  That’s when we saw the red flashing lights of emergency vehicles ahead.  As we slowly drove past the accident, Mom let out a loud gasp.  There on the side of the road by the crumpled vehicles was a woman clutching her dog.  Summer is all about getting out and enjoying life with your dog.  But far too often we’ve seen lost dog flyers where dogs have run off in fear after an accident.  Or worst yet, we’ve read news articles about dogs getting killed in car accidents.  Therefore, it’s important when traveling with dogs to keep us safe.

Around this time last year Dad bought us a MIM Safe Variocage Double Extra Large Crate for our car, that we affectionately refer to as our “prisoner transport crate.”  Ok, I admit when we first tried it, I hated it!  I could no longer sit in my favorite spot in the backseat behind Dad with my head resting on his shoulder.  Nor could I be Mom’s copilot when she inevitably got lost and needed directions.  Also after long hikes, Asa couldn’t sprawl out as much as possible when taking a well earned nap.  However, for our safety in the event of an accident, it is worth giving up that freedom.  No more worrying that I could get tossed around in an accident or perhaps even becoming a 70 lbs. projectile.  Also I admit I rather like our crash-test certified crate now.  I can still keep an eye on Mom and Dad, and the divider keeps me nice and clean when Asa occasionally decides to vomit up treasures he ate on our hike.  There’s also room for Asa to lay down to take a nap without bothering the rest of us.

According to Dad’s research, Variocage uses major car manufacturers’ crumple zone guidelines to develop their crash-test certified dog crate that meets or exceeds safety standards in both front and rear collisions, and vehicle rollovers.  It is designed that the telescoping poles and crumple zones take the impact of an accident, so that in the event of a crash it will compress in a controlled manner similar to how cars are designed.  This way it will keep me safely contained while also limiting the impact I experience, and prevent the crate from breaking through the back seat or breaking apart.  The crate also comes with a an emergency hatch in the rear to ensure that I can get out if the hatchback of the car can’t open after an accident.

After years of searching for the right crate, what specifically drew Dad’s attention was not only that this company’s crate performed well in crash-tests, it was developed to be “tailor-made” for the owner’s car with it’s adjustable depth and is angled to match the rear seat and hatchback of many car models.  This flexibility makes it a perfect fit for Dad’s car, yet it can also be adjusted to Mom’s smaller car as well.  One problem though.  Although in the reviews people warned that the Variocage was difficult to assemble, no one mentioned that the directions only come in Swedish!  But a few youtube videos later, Dad successfully assembled it.  You can read our review of assembling it in the post “My Prisoner Transport Crate.”  Spoiler alert: you can also learn Swedish from Asa in that post!

A crash can happen at any speed with many variables involved.  Sadly depending on the vehicle, speed and circumstance, it may be impossible to protect us from injury or death.  However, it is important to be prepared for an emergency.  When properly sized for the dog and correctly installed in the vehicle, having the proper restraint may make the difference.  Please be aware that NOT all of the crates, carriers and car harnesses available on the market for pets are crash-tested.  So please do your research to find what works best for your dog and vehicle.  In Asa’s General Store, I’ve included a link for more information and how to purchase the Variocage Double Extra Large Crate.