Rachel Rodgers

Dog car cages and car harnesses are both popular options for pet owners who want to keep their dog safe and secure while travelling. At MIMsafe, we supply both. However, there are some significant advantages to using dog car cages over car harnesses, which we will explore in this blog post.

Firstly, well-built dog car cages, such as our VarioCage, offer more protection and safety for your pet than car harnesses. Car cages are designed to provide a secure and comfortable space for your dog during travel. In the event of an accident, the cage will protect your dog from being thrown around in the car and will prevent them from being ejected from the vehicle and running into traffic in terror. An additional advantage with the VarioCage is that the crate is designed to absorb the impact and protect your dog further. In contrast, car harnesses only restrain your dog to a limited degree and do not offer any significant protection in the event of an accident.

Secondly, dog car cages help prevent driver distractions while driving. Drivers can be easily distracted by dogs misbehaving or seeking attention while traveling in a car, which can cause accidents. By using a dog car cage, you can keep your pet in a secure and comfortable space, preventing them from jumping around or barking at passing cars. This can help you stay focused on the road and reduce the risk of accidents caused by driver distractions.

Thirdly, we have a wide range of VarioCages that are designed for different types of car.  Our Compact model, for example, is designed for hatchbacks. To find out which MIMsafe crates you can use in your vehicle, visit our model selector. Always ensure that any dog cage you buy for your vehicle is crash tested and ask for details about HOW it has been crash tested. This article about crash testing can tell you more. Additionally, you can choose from different sizes to fit your pet comfortably, from small cages for toy breeds to larger cages for larger breeds. As a guide, ensure that your cage is 5cm taller than your dog’s shoulder height.

Fourthly, dog car cages provide a comfortable space for your pet to rest during long car trips. Dogs can become tired and restless during long journeys, but a comfortable cage can provide them with a safe and secure space to relax in. Many dogs are much more able to relax and feel safer in their own space, and if they get distracted by people, other dogs, or vehicles while traveling, you can cover the cage to help them to stay calm.

Lastly, dog car cages are easier to clean and maintain than cleaning the seats that may become soiled or stained when using a car harness. You can easily clean VarioCages with a damp cloth, and cut bedding, such as vet bed, to shape. It is then super-easy to remove dirty bedding and replace with clean bedding, while the dirty bedding is washed ready for next time. Car harnesses, on the other hand, can be difficult to clean and maintain, as they are often made of fabric and can trap dirt and bacteria.

In conclusion, dog car cages are a better option than car harnesses for pet owners who want to keep their dogs safe and secure during car trips. They offer more protection and safety, prevent driver distractions, provide a comfortable space for your pet to rest, and are easier to clean and maintain. With a dog car cage, you can enjoy a worry-free journey with your pet, knowing that they are safe, secure, and comfortable.

Dog crates for cars are essential for dog owners who love to travel. The highway code states that we should keep dogs restrained while we are driving, and not restraining your dog while driving could land you with a fine of up to £5000, invalidate your insurance and lead to a prosecution for dangerous driving. Our crash tested crates and tailgate guards are the safest way, for dogs and passengers, of restraining your dog. They provide a safe and comfortable space for dogs to ride in while also helping to prevent distractions while driving. Our crates come in various sizes and materials to fit different breeds and types of vehicles, making it easy for you to find one that suits your needs.

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a dog crate for your car is size. The crate must be large enough for your dog to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably. We recommend measuring your dog’s height from floor to shoulder, then adding 5cm. This is the ideal size for your dog. A crate that is too small can be uncomfortable for your dog and may cause them to become anxious during car rides. Additionally, a crate that is too large may not be secure and could cause your dog to move around too much while in transit. If your dog is then involved in an accident, and is able to be shaken about in his cage too much, his injuries would be worse than in a cage that fitted him better.

Dog crates for cars come in different materials, including metal and plastic. Plastic crates may be easier to move from car to car but may splinter easily and can fall apart in an accident, causing injuries to your dogs and passengers. Metal crates can be more durable, but the most important thing that you need to ensure is that any crates you consider are crash tested. Because the term “crash tested” is not regulated (see our blog post “What does crash tested actually mean?”), anyone could claim that their crates are crash tested, so look into how they were crash tested and by whom. Many crate manufacturers “crash test” their crates using simulated computer models, and others may crash test themselves in an inadequate setting. All MIMsafe crates are crash tested independently in situ in a vehicle by RISE research institute in Sweden. They are tested for front impact, rear impact, side impact and rollover, and all our crates have passed these tests. These are the most rigorous tests carried out by any car crate manufacturer.

Safety is another crucial factor to consider when selecting a dog crate for your car. Look for crates that have secure latches, doors and ideally locks to prevent your dog from escaping or being stolen while in transit. You should also ensure that the crate is safely secured in your car and does not move around while driving. Additionally, ventilation holes are essential to ensure that your dog gets enough air during the ride. MIMsafe crates and tailgate guards are all fitted with integral lock and key with the option for adding padlocks if required.  They are supplied complete with strong, crash tested fitting options and are built to protect passengers as well as dogs.

If you have a dog that gets anxious during car rides, choosing the right crate can help alleviate their stress. A solid-bottom crate can provide a sense of security for your dog, making them feel more comfortable during travel. If your dog enjoys looking out the window, choosing a crate with windows or ventilation holes can help keep them calm and entertained during the trip.

Another benefit of using a dog crate for car travel is that it helps prevent distractions while driving. Dogs can be easily distracted by outside stimuli, such as other cars or people. By using a crate, you can keep your dog focused on the ride and prevent them from jumping around or barking at passing vehicles.

Cleaning and maintenance are also important considerations when selecting a dog crate for your car, particularly if your dog suffers from motion sickness. You should choose a crate that is easy to clean, with parts that can be washed and sanitized. Additionally, consider the durability of the crate and how well it will hold up over time with regular use.

In conclusion, dog crates for cars are an essential requirement for pet owners who need to travel with their pets. They provide a safe and comfortable space for dogs to ride in while also preventing distractions and keeping them focused on the ride. With the right size, material, and safety features, a dog crate for car travel can make any road trip more enjoyable for both you and your dog.

Fortunately road traffic accidents are not common, but when they do occur, they can be horrific for everyone involved. The team of experts at MIM understand this, after working with some of the major car manufacturers on all aspects of safety in their earlier careers before setting up MIM. They saw over and over again how customers compromised their safety by transporting large, unsuitable items in vehicles, which could break up, becoming lethal missiles or remain a solid, in-car mass, causing dreadful, life-threatening injuries, in the event of an accident.

Dog crates were one such problem, and one which the founders of MIMsafe set out to rectify. Dog crates built by other brands are either:

• Flimsy, easily smashed structures that merely held the dog in one place while travelling but provided no protection whatsoever in the event of an accident. They would fall apart, often leaving exposed bits of metal or other material that would cause injuries and leaving dogs free to escape during an accident, often to run into oncoming traffic.
• Solid, strong boxes that can withstand an impact, but have no flexibility. This means that they do not absorb any of the energy of an impact and work against, rather than with, the vehicle’s crumple zone, often causing serious or life-threatening injuries to back seat passengers.

They therefore set out to make something safe not only for dogs, but also for passengers. The Variocage will compress in a controlled manner in the event of an accident, absorbing some of the impact of the collision and working with, rather than against, the vehicle’s crumple zone. The back of the crate that is secured against the back seat of the car, is angled away from back seat passengers, protecting heads and necks from hitting the crate during an impact, and the crate will not fracture or fall apart.

They also observed that other dog crate manufacturers do not invest the considerable expense required in performing actual, real-life crash testing. All other dog crate manufacturers of whom we are aware, only “crash test” using computer simulation and mathematical models.

At MIMsafe, our scientists understand that computer simulated models are not always reliable or valid and utilise their experience of working alongside car brands. We therefore invest in an additional, much more reliable and valid crash testing strategy of positioning the crates in situ in the vehicle. This enables us to see not only how the crate will actually perform during an impact, but also how it performs in conjunction with the existing safety features of the vehicle, ensuring that the crates complement, but never impede, the inbuilt safety mechanisms.

We really are the experts in animal and human transport safety. …Read more about our crash testing.

With Winter just around the corner, road hazards increase, and we are statistically more likely to be involved in a road traffic accident. Data from insurance company Admiral reveal that we are 25% more likely to claim on their motor insurance in November compared to April, and their surveys show that 23% of UK motorists have been involved in an accident when driving in severe winter weather conditions.

So why is winter driving more dangerous?

Days are shorter and driving in the dark poses more challenges than daylight driving:

1. Decreased visibility: our ability to judge distance decreases, and our eyes take time to adjust from bright lights to darker roads. This is particularly an issue for older drivers, whose eyes take longer to adjust. Between the ages of 15 and 65, the speed at which our eyes are able to adjust from light to dark conditions increases from 1 second to 9 seconds.
2. It’s more difficult to see other road users in the dark and pedestrians are often not aware of this, meaning that they behave in a manner that puts them more at risk.
3. It is more difficult to judge the speeds of other road users.
4. Young drivers can be particularly vulnerable due to a lack of experience of driving in the dark.

The weather also has a strong influence on road safety during the winter months and it’s not just ice and snow that create hazards:

1. On clear sunny days, the low angle of the sun can affect visibility. It’s imperative to ensure that windscreens are kept clean in winter, especially during wet weather conditions leading to mud and water on the roads.
2. Ice and snow can cause obvious problems, affecting our ability to steer and brake as needed. It can take 10 times longer to stop when braking in ice and snow.
3. Condensation on the windows due to the colder temperatures, and ice on the windscreen both affect visibility. The highway code stipulates that, when driving in icy conditions, we must be able to see out of every glass panel in our vehicle.
4. While flooding isn’t limited to winter months, it can still cause problems with dangers such as aquaplaning.

The RAC and AA both provide great advice for safe driving during the Winter, and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue include a great video for how to safely drive on the ice. But, regardless of how safely we drive ourselves, we can’t assume other road users will do the same. It’s important, therefore, to control the things that we can control.

MIMsafe Variocages protect dogs and passengers. We know from our extensive crash testing that in the event of an accident, they compress in a controlled manner, absorbing some of the impact, and decreasing the amount of space in the crate, decreasing injuries to dogs by stopping them from being thrown about.
The crates are strong and will not crumple or fall apart during an impact, meaning that dogs remain safe and protected, not crushed or thrown out of the vehicle. Crates all feature an emergency exit door in case the main crate exit is compromised, ensuring that dogs can be easily released.

Our crates work in conjunction with the crumple zone of vehicles, keeping rear seat passengers safe. This video demonstrates how:

Our crates provide optimal safety for passengers and optimal security for your dogs whatever the season.

Thankfully, serious road traffic accidents are not a common occurrence, so it’s not often that we’re able to report on the strength and performance of our dog crates in a real-life accident with real dogs and their owners.  However, we recently received grateful thanks from a dog owner following a distressing incident in which a dog, Hera, a German Shorthaired Pointer, was able to walk away unscathed.

Hanna, the owner, and Hera, were travelling very early in the morning at dawn in June this year when the accident occurred. The car flipped, landing on its side with the driver’s door facing down towards the ground. Hanna had to crawl out through the passenger door of her VW Passat Alltrack.

“Once I got out of the car, my nerves were really on edge in those few seconds until I made my way to Hera’s cage. It was completely quiet back there and I was expecting the worst.”

But once she caught sight of her beloved Hera, she was filled with relief.

“There were so many thoughts going through my head, and then I saw her eyes. She was alive! I am so grateful we chose MIMsafe’s VarioCage model. We made the choice because of its ability to withstand impact from all directions and this is exactly what happened when the car flipped. Once again, we are extremely grateful.”

The VarioCage worked exactly as it should. The inbuilt deformation zone compressed inwards to absorb the impact and protect the dog. We know from our crash testing that the less space the dog has in the cage in a collision, the safer the dog. The deformation zone of the crate also works in tandem with the deformation zone of the vehicle, unlike most other brands of crate currently available.

“All our crash tests are conducted with the Safe Pet Crate Test method, making us unique among cage makers,” says MIM Construction’s CEO Gert Olofsson “These tests are carried out in actual car bodies so we can really see how our cages will perform in a crash. We also conduct further extensive testing to ensure that the cage is as safe as possible, so we feel intense relief that owner and dog are safe, but also a sense of pride when we can see that the cage has done its job in protecting Hera and the rest of the family.”

The cage’s other safety systems also worked properly and once the rescue team arrived, they had to remove the crumpled rear hatch to get Hera out.

“Making sure that cage parts don’t come loose in a collision and that rear-seat passengers are safe has been a primary focus in our development work,” Gert Olofsson adds. “The built-in deformation zone in our VarioCage prevents serious injuries to those travelling in the rear of the car, both from cage parts penetrating through the back seats, as well as parts above the rear seat causing injury to the neck, all for the safety of both people and their dogs.”

“Hanna’s neck pain after the accident was gone after a week or so, and Hera was examined by a vet who determined that she had no injuries at all.

Both Hanna and her partner are now looking forward to long Autumn walks with Hera.

“What a wonderful feeling it will be to walk with Hera after what happened,” says Hanna. “We’ve come closer to her after the accident and want to get out as much as we can with her now.”

For more information about our range of fully crash tested dog crates, guards and tailgate guards, please visit our shop.

We’re a nation of animal lovers and for many, our dogs are members of the family, so they often accompany us when traveling in the car.  However, did you know that not restraining your dog when traveling could:

• Lead to a conviction of dangerous driving if involved in an accident
• Invalidate your car and pet insurance
• Land you with a fine of up to £5000
• Result in a requirement to retake your test
• Add up to 9 penalty points on your driving license

And even worse, distract the driver and cause an accident, risking the lives of you, your passengers, your dogs, and other road users.

Just recently, in June 2022, a man was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving after he took his eyes off the road briefly when his unrestrained Weimaraner started to move around the vehicle.  His vehicle hit a taxi that was parked on the side of the road, collecting a 77-year-old woman and her husband.  Very sadly, the lady lost her life, and her husband was severely injured. He was jailed on June 23rd for 24 weeks, with a 64-week driving ban.  We can only imagine the horror and heartbreak of this accident for everyone involved.

Although driving with dogs that are not restrained is not against the law, it is included in Rule 57 of the Highway Code: “When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.”  This means that police have the power to pull you over and charge you with driving with undue care and attention.  This can lead to a very hefty fine and 9 penalty points on your license.

DON’T RISK IT!

We want everyone to transport their dogs safely and with minimum risk to themselves, their passengers, their dogs and other road users, and we’ve campaigned to alert people of the dangers of traveling with loose dogs since the company was founded in 1986.

Our VarioCages are all crash tested from all angles: we ensure that they withstand impact from the front, the rear, the sides and during a rollover.  We’re the ONLY dog crate manufacturer that crash test in this way and with the crates in situ in the vehicle during the testing process.  Most other companies that claim to crash test use computer-generated crash testing.  This measures how the crates will withstand an impact in theory but does not physically test the crates to make sure.  Even worse, other companies claim to have crash tested when their tests are woefully inadequate and, in some cases, may have not even passed the crash test!

We also offer crash tested harnesses, tailgate guards and dog guards.  Please see our shop for our full range of dog transport safety products.