Life turned upside down one afternoon on Highway 154, the pass between Santa Barbara, California, and Santa Ynez. Diane Stevenett was traveling with her dog Jake. The car was packed with a plethora of art painting supplies, including a giant white paper roll, painting supplies, brushes, watercolors, music class gear, and Jake “the Great” took up the entire second row of seats. behind the driver, his usual place.
When they hit a traffic jam, their car was last in line when suddenly a raised black monster truck appeared trying to “shoot the gap.” The car in front of her moved aside and her car was exposed to the giant truck.
The collision was unavoidable. Within seconds, the car was mangled, blood and glass splattering Diane and Jake as they threw him through the windshield. Both ended up thrown from their car onto the road. Jake and Diane survived this serious accident, but Jake’s internal injuries caused his untimely death later. The anguish of the whole thing was, for Diane, a great struggle.
Jake and his health conditions forced Diane to think that she could have protected Jake from the accident if she had followed some safety measures… if not completely, much more.
According to a major car service company, more than 80% of dog owners drive with their pets in the car. More than 84% of those who drive with their pet do not hold it in the car. In 2013, 172,000 children were involved in car injury accidents and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that of those accidents involving injured children, more than 80% had pets on board. It’s not just about the pet…
Diane Stevenett, co-author of the international award-winning new book, How to Save Your Pet from Disaster, was the mother of Big Jake years ago and recalls: “If I had known what I know today, I would have been more prepared and possibly could decreased the chance of Jake getting hurt. My research to be better educated and prepared led me to write this guide.”
2 X Chicken Soup for the Soul NY Times bestselling author Raymond Aaron said after seeing How to Save Your Pet from Disaster, THE essential emergency preparedness guide for feathered friends and fur babies: “If If you have a pet, this book is a “must read” because you know how pet care strikes such a chord with you.There is no other book, as comprehensive and authoritative, on the essential subject in the pet industry. I highly recommend it! Give it as a gift today!”
You love your pet and there are things you can do easily and have peace of mind knowing your precious pet is safer and ready for your next trip. Be “pet ready.” Remember, your pet can become your “therapy animal” in an emergency, so think ahead and protect it as you would your child.
3 tips for traveling with your pet from How to save your pet from disaster
1. Consider getting microchipped (page 16) – Unrestrained pets can run out of cars, making a bad situation that much worse.
2. A harness around your pet’s chest to secure it to the seat will more evenly distribute tension or stress on the body during an accident, thus reducing the chance of injury. If you only have the animal tied to its collar around the neck, the animal may be strangled or have a broken neck. (Page 20, 30)
3. Secure pet to seat restraints. They are made to stay connected and attached in the event of an accident. (Page 33)
Old pets need special care and protection. Their reaction times are slower
they are more fragile and emotionally more unstable.
There are literally hundreds of other tips and tricks you may not have thought of for a wide variety of situations other than car accidents. Being Prepared suggests that you brainstorm as many ideas as you can and start implementing the tips that feel most important to you.