Safe non-commercial transport of pets in motor vehicles

The AVMA is committed to educating pet owners regarding the safety of pets in motor vehicles. There is limited scientific information available to determine the safety of individual animal transport products. Therefore, AVMA encourages development of evidence-based crash testing of animal enclosures and safety harnesses used for motor vehicle travel.

Open cargo area safety

Transport of pets, loose or tethered, in open cargo areas of motor vehicles is not safe and puts the animal’s health and welfare at risk. Properly secured, size-appropriate enclosures designed for use in open cargo areas need to be used when transporting pets in this manner. Enclosures should allow for appropriate ventilation and maintenance of climatic conditions suitable for the pet’s species, breed, size, age, and conditioning.

Interior vehicle safety

It is unsafe for pets to be loose inside motor vehicles. The preferred means of transport of pets within the confines of a vehicle is either securing them in a species-appropriate enclosure of appropriate size, or fitting them with a properly designed, species-appropriate safety harness.

Backgrounder

Welfare implications dogs traveling in truck beds