Crate expectations

Transporting your dog in a vehicle isn't merely a question of finding a comfortable bed, it must comply with the law too, says Jamie Tusting

- Jamie Tusting

Millie, my cocker spaniel, has been with me long enough now that we know each other pretty well and I trust her completely. Having spent the early part of her life travelling around in the back of the car, confined to a dog crate, she is very relaxed while on the move.

But the transportation of dogs is something that varies greatly from owner to owner and from dog to dog. The type of journey, the type of dog, its behaviour and how much time it is to spend in the vehicle are merely some of the many factors that have to be taken in to consideration when putting a dog in the car.

I had Millie as a puppy when I was a lowly graduate rural surveyor and I was told in no uncertain terms that I wasn’t allowed to bring her to the office. It was far from an ideal situation, especially as a new dog owner and very much learning the ropes. So Millie spent many an hour in the boot of my parked car at the office park I worked on.

On the hotter days, I would spend my tea breaks manoeuvring the car into the shade of the trees scattered across the car park. Nervous about leaving the boot and windows too far ajar and presenting an opportune moment for a dog thief, I bought a nifty contraption that allowed me to lock the car with the boot slightly open. The flow of air through the car and the damp towel I’d put over the cage kept it remarkably cool.

The RSPCA was called out on one scorching day by someone in a neighbouring office who had reported me for causing my dog extreme distress. The man from the RSPCA arrived and Millie greeted him with a wagging tail. After using his thermometer to determine that the temperature in the cage was actually a modest 17°C, he left me alone.