Letting your dog ride loose in the car is one of those things people do without thinking, because "they're calm" and "nothing has ever happened." The problem is what happens on the day that it does.
Physics, which shows no mercy
In the event of sudden braking or a collision, the animal's body continues moving at the speed the car was traveling. A 20 kg dog in a 50 km/h impact can exert a force equivalent to more than twenty times its weight. In other words, nearly half a ton launched forward.
That causes harm to the animal, as well as to whoever is in the front seat.
What the regulations say in Spain
The General Traffic Regulations do not specify a particular system for animals, but they do require the driver to maintain their freedom of movement and field of vision, and to properly secure passengers and cargo. A loose dog that gets between the seats or climbs into one's lap violates both of these.
The most common penalties for this are around €80 to €100, and can increase if the animal is deemed to have distracted the driver. Amounts and criteria change over time: if you have any doubts, check the DGT website.
The four systems that work
- Harness with dual seatbelt attachment. The most practical option for everyday use with medium and large dogs. Make sure it is a real harness—wide and padded—not a thin leash.
- Pet carrier. The safest system, especially for small dogs and cats. It goes on the floor behind the front seats, or in the trunk against the rear seats.
- Partition grid. For large cars and dogs traveling in the trunk. It isolates the passenger cabin.
- Booster seat with attachment. For small dogs. It lets them look out the window, which usually calms them down, without being loose.
The most common mistakes
- Attaching the collar leash to the seatbelt. This is the most dangerous thing of all: during sudden braking, all the force goes to the neck. Always use a harness, never a collar.
- Holding them in your arms or having them loose in the passenger seat.
- Letting them stick their head out the window. Pressurized air gets into their eyes and ears, and a single bump is enough.
- An open trunk without a grid. In an impact, they are launched forward just as if they were in the seat.
Ensuring a pleasant trip
- Do not feed them in the two hours beforehand. It significantly reduces motion sickness.
- Stop every two hours so they can stretch their legs, drink, and do their business.
- Keep water handy at all times. A travel bottle with an integrated bowl can be handled with one hand at a gas station.
- Never leave them alone in the car. Not for five minutes, not even with the window down. The interior of a car in the sun can reach high temperatures in a matter of minutes.
- If it's their first time, start with short trips that end in something good: the park, the countryside. Make sure the car doesn't just mean the vet.
In our transport and safety section you will find dual-attachment seatbelts, booster seats, and pet carriers, and in travel water bowls, bottles with bowls for your stops. Free shipping throughout Spain.