Britain’s dog lovers spend more than £4,000 per year on their pet, yet only half safely secure their dog when travelling in the car, new research has found.
Owners spend large sums on food, insurance, toys and grooming for their pets but risk a £5,000 fine for not securing their pet safely while on the road.
A new study by Skoda – in partnership with BorrowMyDoggy – has found that of the estimated seven million dog owners who travel with their pet in the car at least once a week, just 51 per cent say that they correctly secure their dog while driving. Fourteen per cent say they only secure their dog some of the time, while nine per cent admit that they have never properly secured their dog safely in the car.
Nearly half of the 2,000 dog owners questioned by Skoda were unaware of the current laws around travelling with a dog in the car, which if broken can lead to a fine of up to £5,000 and even invalidate insurance. According to the Highway Code, dogs need to be kept secured so that they don’t distract the driver and to help avoid injury in the event of a sudden stop.
Skoda’s study also revealed that 12 per cent of owners let their dog sit on their lap, while nine per cent even let them sit on the dash. In total, 68 per cent of respondents said that they drove more carefully when their dog was in the car, though 24 per cent admitted that they were more stressed when their pet was travelling with them.
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