# Dog in Motorhome



## wug (May 19, 2011)

Does anyone know if there's a specific law in Spain requiring a dog to be restrained, eg by a harness, when travelling in the motorhome?


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## oly (Jan 27, 2011)

If there is!! nobody will abide by it in Spain!!! If your dog is big and could impact on you in the event of an accident, restrain it. Our dog sits/lies in front of the passengers feet.


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

Yes law states all dogs must be restrained in the rear of all vehicles.
We never have in the last 12 years and not many people do.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

In my opinion all dogs should be correctly restrained, travel harness and seat belt attachment 

For their safety and the safety of other passengers

Even small flying missiles can have tragic consequences

aldra


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## sweetie (Nov 28, 2005)

Surely it is safer for you and safer for the dog to have it restrained in the motorhome it should not be a question is it a legal requirement :!: 

I remember one local accident where the dog escaped at the scene of accident and was involved in another and lost its life. Luckily owner was ok but saddly lost her beloved dog.

We do not have any dogs now but my son has, he will not move the car without putting harness on his tibetan terrier.


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## oly (Jan 27, 2011)

Ah well we are in Morocco at the moment with 'Desert Detours' Its FAB. Our dog is in kennels in Portugal for 3 weeks. I am missing him.


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## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

oly said:


> Our dog is in kennels in Portugal for 3 weeks. I am missing him.


Its the law in Portugal too that dogs should be restrained by a proper harness in vehicles.

JohnW


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

It is required but very few people do it, Alan.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Lindiwe has her harness on and attached to seat belt. The new puppy will also have a harness and attached to seat belt. Just bought an additional seat belt attachment.

Safer


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

Thanks for your replies. We'll have the dog in a harness, but just wondered what the actual law was.


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## jonse (Nov 2, 2008)

*dog*

Why did you not take your dog with you Oly, we did last year and stayed on after our trip and had a great time,


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## WildThingsKev (Dec 29, 2009)

We were stopped at a routine police checkpoint and asked for documents, all very pleasant but when our dog came and put his front legs on my lap to see who was at the window we received a stern warning.


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## coachmen (May 27, 2009)

Its worth remembering that the Guardia, Traffico dept are now paid part of their wages by means of commission each month. We have a dog guard behind our seats so in an emergency the dog cannot shoot forward into us, we think its best to be safe than sorry on the fine issue plus it is a law in any vehicle technically.
When driving our car with boot hatch slightly opened but tied down we were fined 50 euros on the spot because we hadnt displayed the warning triangle on back of vehicle, spanish reg car.
There are hundreds of speed traps around now, one car in ditch or side of road and a nice welcome further up the road. Main traget roads are 60 klm areas. Be careful.


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## peaky (Jul 15, 2009)

thats the thing if you get stopped then thats where they would start looking for other things, here on the islands we have daily roundabout checks all over the islands not worth it, as to the dog issue my dog has her very own car seat where she can be restrained and look out the window, i think they behave better too could nt bear to loose her if we had an accident and she went flying.


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## Qnapper (Jul 26, 2012)

Guy's this is a no brainer - if you were involved in an accident and your dog, whom you love to bits flies forward and breaks it's neck and dies right on front of you, you would never forgive yourself, because the thing you love dearly was not secured.
If it was your 4 year old child you would not think twice, so please think long and hard before allowing your pet to run free when driving.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

*Re: dog*



jonse said:


> Why did you not take your dog with you Oly, we did last year and stayed on after our trip and had a great time,


Jonse does that effect them returning to England with the passport scheme. Do they need to be vaccinated for rabies again before re entering Britain?

aldra


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

And also tie down the kitchen sink, wardrobe, shower and fixed(?) bed.

An impact big enough to pick up a sizeable dog from the floor and hurl it through the windscreen is also going to demolish a flimsily built motorhome and reduce it to household waste.


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## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

We put Lexis' harness on then attach the lead to the seatbelt on the passenger seat and she can either sit on Anns' knee, (preferred choice!) Or, lie on her bed between the seats. We haven't got rear seatbelts so that complies with the law and our choice. Win Win!


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## oly (Jan 27, 2011)

*Re: dog*



jonse said:


> Why did you not take your dog with you Oly, we did last year and stayed on after our trip and had a great time,


We did consider it but thought it would restrict us seeing places and he is not the best dog if there are others. We took in Gibraltar on the way back and the site at La Linea doesn't accept dogs. Regarding re entry to UK I fail to see how they would know where the dog had been there are no marks put in the dog passport. I didcussed this with other people from UK who had their dogs with them.


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## Spiritofherald (May 18, 2012)

Spacerunner said:


> And also tie down the kitchen sink, wardrobe, shower and fixed(?) bed.
> 
> An impact big enough to pick up a sizeable dog from the floor and hurl it through the windscreen is also going to demolish a flimsily built motorhome and reduce it to household waste.


Think about the scenario where you need to stop suddenly - you can see the looming accident up so you break hard and you come to almost a standstill before hitting the car in front. In this situation the vehicle is almost untouched but any loose objects are still propelled forward at the higher velocity, well above the impact speed. This is probably the situation for the majority of accidents and is the reason so many peaple and animals get injured.

I hit a car a few cars a few years ago in this way. Neither my car or the one in front were seriously damaged (minor paint damage only) but I was carrying a grow bag in the boot which pushed the folding rear seat forward and ended up on the floor behind the drivers seat. Since this accident I always travel with the rear seat belts fastened even if I'm not carrying passengers.

I simply do not understand why anyone would allow passengers, whether adult, child or animal, to travel un-restrained.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

So tell me just how do you secure a medium sized dog for several hours so that in the event of an impact the dog is not going to travel any more than two inches in any direction.

The only way I can think of is to nail it to the floor! 8O


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## Spiritofherald (May 18, 2012)

Spacerunner said:


> So tell me just how do you secure a medium sized dog for several hours so that in the event of an impact the dog is not going to travel any more than two inches in any direction.
> 
> The only way I can think of is to nail it to the floor! 8O


Why two inches? Even if it travels forward two feet it might hit the seat in front (or whatever the obstacle might be) but it won't crush the person in front or go through the windscreen.

My dogs travel restrained all the time, even when I go to Isle of Skye three times per year which is a 10.5 hour drive. They don't seem to mind and sleep through most of the journey. The have regular breaks so they can have a quick run, a quick pee and something to eat. After all, that's what most dogs do at home for about 22 hours per day!


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## palaceboy (Mar 9, 2008)

We were stopped by the police in Spain last year near Alicante . My wife got up from the passenger seat to get some cheese from the fridge in the back to go with the crisps we were munching . She was returning to her seat just as a police car overtook and he then stopped us , one checked our documents the other checked over the outside tyres,tax etc. They then said it was 200 euro fine for not wearing a seat belt and then he noticed our dog was not harnessed and said that was another 200 euros . I am now thinking this is expensive cheese but he then said "this is your lucky day i only warn you" .
We still break the law but are more carefull when we get out of our seats and check behind us plus we keep a harness attached to the rear seat belt just in case.


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## oly (Jan 27, 2011)

Our naughty dog spends his time quietly chewing through the webbing straps. We Keep his harness on him and have devised a way of fastening his short rope lead to the seat belt bracket.


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