pet connection

This personal story by a veterinarian on Coloradoan.com describes how even the best-intentions can run astray when traveling with your beloved pup.

Christie Long, a veterinarian at the VCA Fort Collins, Colo., Animal Hospital, writes about how her terrier, Pancake, dodged possible death when she jumped out the open passenger window of the car, landing in the right turn lane of a busy intersection.

Yesterday, my dog very nearly could have died, and it would have been solely my fault.

You can be certain those were tough words for her to write, especially for a person whose job and passion it is to save lives.

I was distracted on the drive home, thinking about how to manage a tough patient. Normally, I roll the windows down only a few inches to allow Pancake to sniff the breeze. But yesterday I had for some reason put the windows all the way down. We were stopped at Drake Road and College Avenue when I happened to look over just in time to see that scruffy terrier rump disappearing out of my passenger window and into the right turn lane.

I screamed, slammed the car into park and jumped out. Everyone around me had stopped and appeared as panic-stricken as I felt. On the other side of my car, I met my dog, wagging her tail as if to say, “Fancy meeting you here in the middle of College Avenue!”

I scooped her up, and we sped home, clutching each other the entire way.

Read the rest of her story here.

Fortunately, this story has a happy, tail-wagging ending. But it reinforces the need for everyone who enjoys taking their dog with them on the road, to do so safely.

There are many safety harnesses, barriers and crates available to help keep your loved one secure in your car. We’ve even reviewed some here.

Let’s look forward to a summer of fun and adventure with our pets by making sure that we’ve done everything we can to ensure their safety when traveling.

Be smart: Secure your pet.

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