Pet-Friendly Picks for 2012
Everyone wants to be safe in their car, right? Occupant safety has become a major selling point when shopping for autos, with vast expanses of airbags enveloping us from all angles. But are we protecting our pooches as well as our people?
Bark Buckle Up is a pet travel safety advocate, and they have named their 2012 Bark Buckle Up Top Dog Vehicle awards. Some of the features they look for in a pet-safe vehicle are air conditioning vents for the rear seats to keep canines cool, side airbags, an adequate number of D-hooks for securing extra dog-related gear, and a good quality rear-view camera.
Here are their top picks for 2012, in alphabetical order:
Fluffy Dog Award - Chevy Traverse LTZ
Tuff Dog Award - Dodge Durango
Little Dog Award - Fiat 500
Show Dog Award - Infiniti FX35
Outdoor Dog Award - Jeep Grand Cherokee
City Dog Award - Kia Rio Hatchback
Multi-Dog Award - Mazda 5
Big Dog Award - Mercedes-Benz GLK
Active Dog Award - Nissan Murano LE
Safety Dog Award - Volvo XC70
Just having a pet-friendly vehicle is not enough, though. It’s important to secure your pet with a product that adapts your passenger restraint system for pet use. Pet Safety Lady Christina Stelter, who has buckled up more than 10,000 pets in cars says, “When driving 35 mph, a 60-pound unrestrained dog can cause an impact of 2,700 pounds, slamming into a car seat, windshield, or passenger.”
When you’re ready to find the ride that’s perfect for your pup, prepare at AutoBuying101.com.
