MIMSafe Blog

Currently our most popular item and in constant demand, our tailgate guard is the ONLY crash tested tailgate guard currently available.  The guards are comprehensively crash tested to ensure that your dogs and your family will be protected during a rear impact.

Our customers find the VarioGate tailgate guard a great option when:

• They need more room for dogs than one of our crate can offer
• They need the whole boot space for other items when the dog is not present
• They are unable to find a crash tested crate that will fit their vehicle
• They want an option that is flexible enough to be moved from vehicle to vehicle

The VarioGate is adjustable in width, height, and depth, ensuring that it will fit in most vehicles.  The doors are one-hand quick release, meaning that you can easily open and shut them while holding the dog with one hand.  Even better, due to the gas spring opening function, the doors will stay open while you load or train the dog, unlike other tailgate guards, on which the doors swing shut.  The doors also have a two-step locking system, just like most car doors, to ensure that the doors stay shut and don’t fly open in the event of an accident.

Your vehicle can be left open if you are nearby to give your dog air, and the gate can be securely locked, with a robust fitted lock and key.  Additionally, the gate has lead hooks, on which to hang leads, toys, and other items, keeping them easily to hand when you arrive at your destination.

The gates are best used alongside our crash tested VarioBarrier dog guard and divider if you have two animals that you would like to transport separately.

You can see more about how to choose and fit our crash tested tailgate guard in this video:

Are you planning to take your dog with you when you travel this year, either in the UK or overseas?  With post-covid overseas travel rules very hit and miss, and the situation still unpredictable, many of us are discovering some beautiful locations and great dog-friendly holidays available in the UK.  Equally, it has never been easier for your pets to accompany you overseas, and many of us are still opting to travel abroad with our pets.
Whether you are staying in the UK or going further afield, make travelling with your dog less stressful for them—and you—just follow our tips.

Prepare for Travelling with Your Dog

Whatever your mode of travel will be, your dog will need:

• His usual lead or harness, and a collar with an identification tag that includes your mobile contact details. Some locations will provide collar tags with the address of the holiday location, which is a great idea.  Unusual sights, sounds and smells may make your dog curious or alarmed, and more likely to run off to explore. If they’re not already microchipped (required by law), seriously consider this before you travel.
• Always travel with a plentiful supply of bottled water.
• Don’t forget the poo bags!
• Comfortable, clean bedding for the journey and for use in your accommodation.
• Cleaning equipment in case your dog is travel sick during the journey or has any toileting “accidents” in the accommodation.
• An adequate supply of any medications they need.
• Your pets food, including a few days’ extra supply in case you stay later than planned.
• Blankets, throws and towels are great for ensuring that your pet is dry and clean, and for protecting holiday accommodation furniture, carpets and upholstery.
• If your dog or puppy is a chewer or likely to be stressed by being in an unfamiliar location, then a large foldable crate is ideal for ensuring that they are contained overnight and can’t damage the property.  When dogs are familiar with their crate, and crate trained properly, then the crate can provide an ideal home-from-home safe haven for your dog.  This gives them somewhere with which they are familiar and know they will be safe if the stress of being in a strange location becomes a bit too much.  Never disturb dogs in their safe haven – it needs to be a space in which they feel confident they can relax and be safe.

If your pet suffers from travel sickness, ask your vet for advice before you travel. They may be able to prescribe medication to help. It’s always best to avoid feeding your dog for a few hours beforehand.
It’s a good idea for your pet to have a health check-up before a long trip, and you should always ensure you find the number of an emergency vet near your destination.
Travelling abroad? Then make sure your pet has all the permissions, identification documents and health certifications they need, and that they have had all the necessary vaccinations.

Tips for Flying with Your Dog

Some destinations and flights may not be suitable for your dog, as they may expose them to temperatures that are too high or too low. You may need to present a certificate of health to your airline in advance, as well as vaccination certificates. There may also be quarantine periods in some countries. Always check before you book your holiday.
Don’t forget to make a reservation for your dog. Reservations for pets are limited, and sometimes your dog nay need to take a separate flight. If you have a puppy, be aware that airlines won’t accept very young dogs; minimum age limits on the day of flight are usually 8 or 12 weeks depending on the airline.
Unless your dog is a service dog, they will usually have to travel in the hold in a crate. Even those airlines that allow dogs in the cabin often require them to be crated (and may have size or weight restrictions that preclude your dog). Some airlines supply crates or offer crate hire; some have a maximum allowed crate size; others insist that the crate is large enough for your pet to fully stand and turn around in (this should be your standard for your dog’s crate anyway). A good-quality crate should be strong and well-ventilated, with sturdy carrying handles. Check the regulations of the company you’re flying with carefully, including any labelling requirements for the crate.

Tips for Travelling by Train, Bus or Boat with Your Dog

Always check if your dog is allowed on the buses or trains you need to catch, and whether they can travel with you in the carriage or by your seat. Dogs are allowed on the majority of European rail services, but not on Eurostar services (unless they’re service dogs). However, you can take the Eurotunnel car shuttle service and keep your dog in the car with you (although you’ll need to pay a charge).
Some ferries will allow dogs, although sometimes this option is only available for car boardings, and your dog may have to stay in the car. As for traditional cruises, only Cunard’s transatlantic cruises on the Queen Mary 2 allows dogs (berthed separately, with designated visiting times). However, there are a few humbler cruise trips, such as river cruises, that will let your dog come along for the ride.

Tips for Travelling with Your Dog in the Car

By UK law, dogs should be restrained while travelling in your vehicle.  A crash tested dog crate is by far the safest way to transport your dog.  Our MIMsafe crates undergo – and pass – the most comprehensive crash testing of any crates currently available on the market, making them the safest option for your dog and your passengers.  If you prefer a dog car harness then we also design and manufacture these, but our own and other manufacturer tests demonstrate that crates are always the safest option for dogs and humans.
MIMSafe’s crates are tested in conditions that monitor both the safety of the dog as well as passengers, ensuring you can travel with confidence.
Just like humans, dogs need regular breaks to stretch their legs and go to the toilet on a long trip—and if you need to leave your dog in the car, try to leave someone with them. Dog theft is still rife, so make sure the crate is locked, offering a second level of protection.  If leaving them alone is unavoidable, make it brief, and NEVER leave them alone in a hot car.

Short Of Space In Your Vehicle?

MIMsafe Carrier Roof Box

If your car is crammed full of passengers, dog crate and luggage, don’t forget that a roof box can give you the extra luggage space that you may need.  Our new Carrier Roof Box is the safest product to hit the roof box market and is in a class of its own.  Our roof box is crash tested at a speed of 50 km/h at a crash pulse in accordance with the ECE R17 standard. The test showed that the roof box can withstand a force of up to 26g, meaning that the roof box can hold up in a frontal collision with loads of 75kg at 50 km/hr.  The roof box is easily fastened to the roof rack thanks to the “Quick Grip” function and sensor lights ensure that you can always see inside the box while searching for items, whatever the time of day.  The box can be opened from both sides and is fully lockable, meaning that you can leave your vehicle safe in the knowledge that your luggage is safely stowed.  The box is equipped with carpet and load loops to ensure that the contents don’t slip about during transport and the box has passed rigorous climatic wind tunnel tests.  The Carrier roof box is an ideal investment to ensure that you have extra space for your luggage, enabling you to travel more safely and more comfortably.

Pet-Friendly Accommodation

Always ensure you’ve booked accommodation that allows dogs, and that it’s suitable for your pet (a holiday cottage with lots of fragile ornaments about may not be the best environment for your large, long-tailed dog!).
When you arrive, check over the accommodation and ensure there’s nothing within your dog’s reach that could pose a safety risk if chewed, especially if you have a puppy. Avoid leaving your dog in your holiday accommodation, as they may be unsettled, meaning they may bark when left or cause damage to furnishings.

Keeping your pet occupied

Take lots of toys, games and chews that will keep your dog occupied while at your accommodation, giving you the chance to relax and enjoy your break without having to worry about your dog being bored, or finding other things to chew or with which to entertain themselves.  Some pet-friendly destinations are great for providing toys and chews, while others provide nothing but notices warning you about the consequences of your dog damaging any of the furniture or upholstery.
JR Pet Products supply great natural, long-lasting chews and treats, and Green & Wilds supply high quality eco-friendly toys and chews that will keep your dog entertained while you relax.  Kong has one of the best ranges of safe treat-dispensing toys that are another great option.

Enjoy Your Holiday with Your Pet

If you are well prepared, then travelling and holidaying with your dog should be stress-free and a positive experience. So do the groundwork, ensure your dog is well-fed, watered and entertained on the trip, and enjoy your holiday with your them.

Well, our first ever Crufts has gone by in a whirlwind of activity, with an incredible response to our crash tested dog travel solutions. We’ve been working hard to get your orders out to you, and we’d like to thank everyone that visited our stand and showed an interest in our dog car crates, tail guards, dog guards and accessories.

Our unique VarioGate tailgate guard attracted a lot of interest on the Crufts stand, with many dog owners purchasing the gate, dog guard and divider during or after the event.

Our unique VarioGate is the ONLY crash tested tailgate guard on the market and is ideal for dog owners who:

• Want to utilise the entire boot space for their dogs
• Need an option that is versatile and flexible enough to be able to fit into most vehicles
• Require a fully secure, lockable safe space for their dogs in their vehicle
• Are unable to fit any of our crates in their vehicle due to the size or shape of their car

Many car models currently have limited boot space, with the angle of the tailgate causing an additional problem when it comes to finding a crate or tailgate guard that will fit. The VarioGate is fully adaptable to fit inside the boot space of most vehicles. The width, height, depth AND angle are completely flexible and can, in most cases, be adjusted to fit your car model when nothing else will, as shown in the following video.

What’s more, as with ALL of our crates, the VarioGate is fully crash tested and will retain its integrity in the event of a rear end collision, protecting your dogs during an impact. It is also fully secure, with robust lock with key, giving you peace of mind that your dog will be safe if anyone breaks in or if you want to open the boot to give your pet fresh air during the summer months (although we never recommend leaving your dog unaccompanied in any vehicle).

The Variogate is usually purchased with our VarioBarrier dog guard and Divider, both also crash tested, that will divide the boot space into two to accommodate two or more dogs, or to keep an area dog-free for other luggage or items. As with all aspects of the system, where the barrier is positioned is fully customisable so if you have a large and small dog, the widths of each compartment can be altered accordingly.

For more information about the Variogate, please visit the VarioGate section of our website.

The events since January 2020 have led to a crisis in dog rescue organisations.  The Covid-19 pandemic has challenged animal welfare and rescue charities more than ever before—and that’s why we want to help support them.
Introducing our Giving Back To Rescue offer:

Buy one of our crash test dog crates for your rescue dog, and we will donate 15% of the purchase price to your dog’s rescue charity.

This means that for every crate bought for a rescue dog, we will be donating a minimum of £50 to each rescue charity.

The Problem: Pets and the Pandemic

Lockdown in the UK meant an overnight lifestyle change for many people. They were working from home and were only allowed to go out to purchase necessities or exercise. The nation’s footpaths soon became busy with people, including those who had barely ventured beyond their street on foot before, and many people found themselves alone in their home for months. Other people realised that it would be the ideal time to introduce a puppy to the family, while they were at home to train and look after it. This provoked another pandemic: the pet pandemic!
According to Pets4Homes, by May 2020 there were over 400 buyers for every pet advertised in the UK, and by March 2021, the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association reported that 3.2 million households in the UK had acquired a pet since the start of the pandemic.
While some people turned to rescue centres and charities to provide a pet, with both the RSPCA and Battersea Dogs and Cats Home reporting a big surge in interest, many wanted a new puppy. The Kennel Club saw a 180% increase in enquiries from potential dog owners, and puppy prices soared to between two and four times their pre-pandemic levels, depending on breed.
However, many of these new owners have found themselves with a dog they were ill-prepared to care for and costs they hadn’t fully considered. They may not have researched the breed, been aware of potential health issues, or realised the commitment needed to raise a puppy. Puppies need vaccinations, training and lots of attention, patience and time. While they’re adorable, they can also be destructive and disruptive, and lack of training means that this behaviour may continue after the puppy stage.
Now, in 2022, these puppies bought in the early days of the pandemic are adult dogs that have grown used to constant companionship. But their owners may be returning to on-site working. Who will exercise these dogs, refresh their water bowl, and ensure they’re let out to go to toilet?

A Tough Time for Animal Shelters

The pandemic brought furlough payments, reduced work opportunities and redundancies, causing more people below the poverty line. This meant the services of animal charities were more in demand than ever, and some pet owners were forced to give up beloved pets they could no longer afford to keep.
As for the pandemic pet boom, sadly, many dogs who were welcomed so warmly into homes in spring 2020 have now been given to animal shelters for rehoming. Between August 2020 and January 2021, only months after many of these ‘pandemic puppies’ were purchased, the Dogs Trust saw a 41% increase in visitors to its Giving Up Your Dog page.
Other dogs bought during lockdown have been put up for resale. Owners who have spent thousands of pounds on pedigree puppies or ‘designer crosses’ like Cavapoos (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle cross-breeds) are keen to recoup their costs. But will these dogs find their forever home after resale? Or find themselves moved on again if they’re sold to new, unvetted owners, ill-equipped to look after them for life?
The influx of dogs needing a new home hasn’t been the only challenge for animal shelters. They’ve also had to contend with the pandemic problems common to other employers and charities. They’ve strived to maintain their services around work-from-home rules, social distancing, and staff absence due to Covid-19 and isolation periods—all at a time when their fundraising has been severely hampered.
That’s why our new campaign is designed to give them a helping hand.

How MIMsafe is Helping Animal Rescue Charities

At MIMsafe, we’re all about the wellbeing of animals; animal safety and welfare are our top priorities when we design and manufacture our products. We also recognise what a fantastic job rescue and rehoming centres do, keeping dogs safe until they find them the perfect new owner.
Did your pampered pooch or magnificent mongrel come to you from a rehoming shelter? If so, then when you buy any MIMsafe crate, we will donate 15% of the price to the rescue centre or charity they came from. It’s our way of helping you say thank you—and helping charities that are desperately in need of funds.

***Visit or online shop NOW!***

How You Can Request Our 15% Donation to Your Dog Shelter

Requesting the 15% donation to your dog shelter is easy. Once you’re purchased your MIMsafe crate, simply send us a copy of the contract you signed with the shelter, and we will make sure they receive our donation of 15% of the crate price.

You can send us the contract by email or post.

Email:
• Scan the contract and send it by email to:
[email protected]

Post:
• Photocopy the contract and post it to:
MIMsafe,
Unit 29 Stanley Court,
Richard Jones Road,
Witney,
OX29 0TB

When you buy a MIMsafe crate for your rescue dog, you’ll know you’re keeping them safe with a top-class, crash-tested dog crate, and helped us support an animal shelter too, ensuring many other dogs can be kept safe and found new, caring homes.

Are you a gundog trainer, trials competitor or breeder? Or a well-respected member of your local shoot? If so, then we have a great opportunity for you! We’re offering people across the UK the unique & exciting chance to top up their income by becoming a MIMSafe ambassador.

As a MIMSafe ambassador, all you need to do is to have one of our crash tested dog crates fitted into your vehicle free of charge and recommend it to people you come into contact with. You will earn commission for every item sold. There’s NO upfront fee of any kind and NO CHARGE for use of the crate. You don’t have to be a salesperson or a marketing expert. You just need to believe in the safety, quality and design of our products and understand that a good quality car crate can make the difference between the life and death of your dogs and passengers in the event of a road traffic accident.

We know that once people have seen one of our car crash tested crates being used first-hand, they are very likely to buy one. So, we’re enlisting the help of our new ambassadors to help spread the word across the UK.

Being a MIMSafe ambassador means you will:

• Receive a MIMSafe dog crate of your choice, keeping you, your passengers and your dog(s) safe, completely free of charge, for the first 6 months.
• Have the option to buy your crate at a significantly discounted price after 6 months.
• Earn commission for every item sold.
• Have access to our online portal full of images and videos of the different products to use on social media, your website or anywhere else you wish to use them.
• Be given access to brochures, point of sale and other marketing resources.

Help us improve travel safety

Studies have found that in general across the UK, many people are not aware of the importance of properly restraining their pet while travelling. Driving with an unrestrained dog in the vehicle is against the law and could invalidate motor insurance policies. However, it’s the horrific details of what can happen to dogs and passengers in the event of a collision that people often won’t have considered.

We need you to help us improve the safety of pets and people across the UK. Most cages and harnesses on the market will only restrain pets, not protect them from an impact. Dogs that do survive an impact are often thrown from vehicles, either into the path of oncoming traffic, or to run, terrified, from the scene. And even a small dog weighing only 2kg can hit passengers with a force of up to 260kg in a car collision of 56mph. That’s the equivalent of 40 bowling balls…

Crash tested and crush proof

All our car crates are the only dog crates to be crash tested in situ in the vehicle, to ensure that they work in tandem with your vehicle’s crumple zone.  This makes MIMsafe crates THE safest way to transport your beloved dogs and keep yourself and your family safe. In addition to being fully crash tested and crush proof, they have many extra convenient features that will make taking your dogs out even more of a pleasure!

But, we’re searching for our gundog ambassadors for the next couple of months only, so if you are interested in becoming one of our ambassadors, please don’t delay in getting in touch.

Email us on [email protected] or call 01256-688777

You’re looking for a car crate for your dog but there are so many available and everyone claims to have the best dog travel cage. So what do you need to know before you buy?

No regulations

It’s important to know that there are no regulations governing the safety of dog car restraints, so anyone can claim that they have a safe dog travel cage, but it may not protect your dog, or yourself and your passengers in the event of an accident. And even worse, some companies will claim that their products are crash tested even though the product failed the crash test!

You get what you pay for

You get what you pay for. Performing crash tests, monitoring the results and innovating the continual improvements to make dog travel cages as safe as possible is expensive. The tests themselves in the required facilities are costly to run and the materials needed to ensure that crates are safe are high quality and high value. And the design time to innovate and improve products, ensuring that they work in conjunction with the vehicle’s crumple zone and do not compromise safety, is also a lengthy and intricate process.

So bear in mind that any product claiming to be crash tested and 100% with a price tag that doesn’t match the claim is unlikely to protect you, your family and your pet when you need it to.

Danger of road travel

We don’t want to be depressing, but we must warn you not to forget just how many people die or are seriously injured in road traffic accidents each year. The following table is taken from the National Safety Council in the US and estimates are based on data from National Centre for Health Statistics.

Figure 1

Figure 1: Mortality Data for 2019, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Population and life expectancy data are from the U.S. Census Bureau. Deaths are classified on the basis of the 10th Revision of the World Health Organization’s “The International Classification of Diseases” (ICD). Numbers following titles refer to External Cause of Morbidity and Mortality classifications in ICD-10.

With the chances of dying from a road traffic accident the 8th most likely on the list, it’s important to make sure that you protect yourself and your family as much as possible while you are travelling.

Loose pets, or pets in inadequate restraints, can become a projectile weapon when the vehicle suffers an impact or brakes sharply. For example, an unrestrained dog weighing 10 pounds will exert approximately 300 pounds of pressure in an impact at 30mph. That’s the same as being hit by a refrigerator!  This is why a crash tested, safe dog travel cage is essential.

Young People

With young people even more likely to be involved in an accident than older individuals, it is well worth investing in a crash tested crate for any young drivers under the age of 25 who frequently travel with their dog.

Figure 2

Figure 2: Mortality statistics and road traffic accidents in the UK,  Chart taken from the RAC Foundation pdf: road-accident-casualty-comparisons-box-110511.pdf 

Why our dog travel cages are the safest

We’re the ONLY company worldwide that crash tests our crates in situ in the vehicle. This is important because anything in your vehicle needs to work in conjunction with the safety mechanisms within the vehicle itself. There is no point in having a crate that protects the dog in crash tests on its own but doesn’t take into account any of the forces or physical apparatus that are present during an impact. Dog travel crates need to work in tandem with your vehicle’s crumple zone to ensure that every member of your family, canine and human, are kept safe.

Our only focus is to produce products that protect you and we continually test, innovate and improve to ensure that this is what we do.
Our dog travel cages undergo rigorous crash tests at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden. The tests are adapted to the cage size and load without sacrificing its energy-absorbing characteristics if a collision were to occur. The robust, innovative construction ensures that our crates can withstand massive impact from all directions – we call it Safety 360°.

Read more about our safety design and crash testing on our Safety Design page

MIM Construction AB acquires MIMsafeUK.

The Swedish company MIM Construction AB, owners of the MIMsafe brand, have as of January 1 2021 acquired a 100% holding in their former UK-based partner, MIMsafeUK.

MIMsafe is the brand leader in the field of safety products for the modern car industry, producing dog cages and safety systems for equestrian sports, with sales worldwide.

“The acquisition of MIMsafeUK, is a strong marker of our focus on developing our sales channels and strengthening the company’s presence in the British market”; says Gert Olofsson, CEO of MIM Construction.

Angus Griffiths, who has run MIMsafeUK for two years, is now the company’s Country Manager in the UK.
”It feels fantastic to become part of an internationally growing brand making headway into increasing safety with innovation in every channel they are present; from automotive parts, to the Equestrian and Dog world.”

The measure will mean MIMsafe UK has more educational powers within the UK to promote products and brand image. This will help customers to identify that MIMsafe are pioneers of safety in all that they do.  We will be able to educate more potential customers and provide many more people with the opportunity to travel safely with their pets.”

Gert Olofsson adds that the acquisition of MIMsafeUK is part of the company’s expansive growth strategy going forward. “We have set a high goal for the next five years. The acquisition of MIMsafeUK, is a first step towards achieving this goal.”

About MIM Construction AB

The MIMsafe brand is the international industry leader within the field of crash-tested dog cages, gates and universal cargo nets. Its products comprise the VarioCage, VarioSystem, MultiCage and Care2 series.

MIMsafe moreover produces specially adapted cargo nets for VW, Subaru, Kia and other makes of vehicles. The MIM Construction AB also owns the MIMclip brand – a safety system for safer equestrian sports in field competition, the only such system approved by the International Equestrian Federation, FEI.

MIM Construction AB has production units in Swedish Frändefors and Trollhättan, with a
total of just over 50 employees. MIM Construction AB is a co-owned company.
For more information, please contact:

Gert Olofsson, vd

+46 (0)10-55 00 451
[email protected]
www.mimsafe.com

Win your very own MIMSafe VarioCage!

We are giving you the chance to win a MimSafe VarioCage of your choice worth up to £990

Our Christmas Giveaway opens at 7pm on Monday, 7th December.

All you need to do is:

EITHER:

visit our Christmas Giveaway Home Page  

OR:

visit this pinned post on our Instagram Page

& follow instructions.

How to Enter

You will be asked to:

1) Comment with which crate you would like and why you would like it (visit the MIMSafe website to find the crate that is right for you)
2) Like our Instagram page or visit our Facebook profile
3) Refer friends to the competition
4) Share this post to your Instagram stories (this can be done as many times as you like through the duration of the giveaway) or sign up to our email list for offers, news and discount coupons!

The competition closes at midnight on 20th December.

We will announce the winner on Christmas Eve.

(A perfect Christmas gift for your four-pawed best friend).

Good luck!