Salt Lake Co. Animal Services encourages pet seat belts after crashes kill dogs

SALT LAKE CITY — We all know that seat belts save lives but there is one passenger who is often overlooked: your pet. Salt Lake County Animal Services is encouraging pet owners to use seat belts for their dogs after responding to several crashes recently.

“I’ve responded to two accidents that two dogs passed away from in the last month and a half,” Officer Cantor with Salt Lake County Animal Services said.

Cantor believes dog seat belts can make all the difference in an accident. They help keep your pet in the vehicle.

“The seat belt keeps your pet from going through windows, it keeps your pet away from first responders so that you can receive that medical attention,” she said.

Cantor said although it can seem like more work for pet parents, it is worth taking the extra step to protect them.

“The extra 10 to 15 seconds to keep everyone safe is worth it,” she said. “We buckle our children and we can buckle our pets in too.”

Tonight at 10:00, the message from @SLCoAnimals after responding to two fatal dog crashes in the last month and a half @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/1Y64WyFHpE

— Ashley Moser (@AshleyMoser) August 13, 2022

Teresa Wilhelmsen is crediting the seat belt she uses on her dog, Emory, for keeping her safe during an accident.

“I remember seeing the car hit us and looking in the rearview mirror and seeing [Emory]. She was on the backseat, still where she was supposed to be because of the seatbelt,” Wilhelmsen said.

She hopes others learn from their experience and will continue putting Emory’s seat belt on during car rides.

“I will never not seat belt her now,” Wilhelmsen said.