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Ok all you dog lovers (me included) when was the last time, or even the first time, you travelled with three dogs in the front of the car with you at the wheel? Come to that when do you drive with a dog in the front?

So, we, as drivers are cautious when having a dog in the car but recovery drivers do not have to be?

Insurance policies mention recovering the car/caravan and people. Do they say that they will recover dogs without qualification? No. You get what you pay for, Having not queried it at the time the policy is taken out it's a bit late to challenge it when the policy is operated on breakdown.

Simple fact is that recovery vehicles do not cater for dogs unless they are small and can be carried on the knee by a passenger restrained by a lead. If we want the recovery folk to pick up any number of dogs then we should ask for that on the policy. They either won't or will at a premium.

Like most things insurance related we assume that everything is covered even though we know that policies have exclusions.

Phil

I can see all sides to this issue ..... and it's a problem if it arises and happens to you.

Imagine being stranded 300 miles from home - dog not wanted in the Cab (for whatever reason) - so dog travelling on low loader in empty car. It could be a horrendous journey for that dog.

Imagine, again, that the car is being recovered by having its front lifted? The dog is then pushed to the rear of the car.

It's actually an issue that doesn't get the exposure it should do.

As our dogs have always been great travellers I have not thought that some dogs could be sick in the cab, maybe scent mark even ..... our dog would simply lie by our feet and sleep. I can see the problems of cleaning the cab - and I can understand the driver (once having that experience) not wanting a dog in there.

As a dog owner, however, the whole situation could be extremely stressful for all concerned.

We thought we were going to have to use recovery to get our car / caravan back from Dorset last week, but top marks to Purbeck Ford who were able to fix the car very quickly.

Unfortunately owing to bank holidays & we being due to travel on the Wednesday this still meant our 2 centre holiday had to be kept as single location.

Using Mayday's top cover I was going to get the car relayed home & use the onward travel part of the cover to hire a car for a 24 hour one way hire for the wife to drive herself, our daughter & our dog (who is in a travel cage that will fit in either the boot or secured on the rear seat).

I agree that it should be to the recovery driver's discretion if they are willing to carry an uncaged dog in their vehicle.  If the dog is caged then I cannot see a problem with it being carried in the cab, but if the driver disagrees then so be it.

Don't suppose for one minute that recovery firms or insurers will alter their terms. So what to do? Why not try a post on here should you get stranded just to see if someone is local who would be willing to pick you up and take you home for the petrol money. You never know......

Phil

Indeed Phil, on the boating forum I belong to, we have an emergency SOS list of members who are willing to help people out in time of need, if they happen to be in the same area. This can be anything from a mechanical break down, to having a family member taken into a local hospital, and needing local information and a lift to visit their loved one if they do not drive themselvesand are pitched a fair distance from any regular bus routes.

Maybe if Ratty reads this, then something similar can be sorted out for UKCC members, all it needs is a Sticky page somewhere near the top of the threads where people in need to could post up, or ideally, as we have on our site, a central mobile number direct to one of the sites Moderators, who then keeps a list of members phone numbers who have signed up to the scheme, and who are prepared to help, along with a brief discription of skills they may have which can be useful in a situation.

example, John Smith, Riverside Cottage, West Broads, some marine mechanical knowledge, able to help with Lifts to and from the local train station, trained first aider, wife is registered childminder, and willing to help out in emergencies wherever possible, telephone West Broads 01234567890

I have used the system a couple of times as a moderator to help a member/friend in need, once to rescue someone who had broken down in a remote area of the waterways, and had no power or heat on a freezing cold winters night, I managed to get some local help and hot food to him after recieving a text message, without even leaving home 170 miles away lol, and on the other occasion I traced the owner of a lovely old wooden boat which had been accidently hit by a novice helmsman, and sprung a plank, letting in water and starting it sinking, which had been spotted by one of our members and the boat name SOS'ed to our forum, saving it from more serious damage as we managed to get the owner down to the mooring PDQ, who then arranged for the local yard to lift it out onto the bankside and relative safety.

Hopefully we could get something similar up and running on here?

Julia  

Good idea Julia.

Even if it means putting the dog up for a few hours while the owner returns in another car to collect.

Hi, Yes I do know that no one is allowed to travel in car on flat bed recovery lorry, and I also know that a dog should be suitably restrained in a car by belt harness/carrier/dog guards, not sure if it is illegal for dogs in car on back of truck, would suspect not, as animals can be transported in cadged open top trailers/horse boxes and are separated from the driver. In your initial post you said you had 3 dogs with you when you broke down, it is not surprising that the recovery driver did not want to take the dogs, there would be no place to restrain the dogs to stop passenger or animals from getting hurt in the event of the truck having to suddenly brake, the driver and company could then be held responsible for any injury caused by breaching the highway code. The taxi driver may not have known regulations for transporting animals in vehicles, or he has ignored them, the link scarletsfan has posted would solve the problem as they have all the legal equipment for the safe transportation of animals, and insurance against their injury should the unthinkable happen, and at £41 brake down recovery and pet recovery is well worth the cost for your loved pets.   

Well when we crashed my dogs were in a well built cage in the boot and were un harmed. unfortunatly well meaning public then opened the boot and the cage and nearly released them onto the motorway!! still someone caught hold of them and they were presently tied up on the grass embankment. On the recovery truck arriving the driver offered to pass the dogs to us in the back of the truck and I tied their harness and collars to the seat posts.  Not that he asked me  to do this but I did.   When we stopped at a rest area We tied them up on a verge and he kept an eye on them whilst we went for breakfast and fetched him a coffee. But again I would not have expected this had he n ot offered. Had he queeried what to do with them I would have willingly put them back in the cage in the boot of the car which luckily was still safe . I dont think the dogs would have noticed being on a truck as apose to driving. They would be in the cage in the car like normal.!!

I do think it is at the drivers discression after all they have to keep the truck cloean and live in it.

As for dogs in open topped cars being recovered---what person has a  dog in an open topped car!! even with a doggie seatbelt surely that has to be unsafe!!

As for dogs in open topped cars being recovered---what person has a dog in an open topped car!! even with a doggie seatbelt surely that has to be unsafe!!

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I beg your pardon?

My dogs are supremely trained to the very highest levels and win trophies for that. You may not consider yourself able to have a dog in an open top car then that's your ability and skill thats lacking ..... my dogs are absolutely fine in open top cars.

Unsafe - maybe for those who have no control over their dogs ..... not for quality.

Mrs Ree on her travels..............No worries

Quote: Originally posted by MrRee on 12/6/2012

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As for dogs in open topped cars being recovered---what person has a dog in an open topped car!! even with a doggie seatbelt surely that has to be unsafe!!

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I beg your pardon?

My dogs are supremely trained to the very highest levels and win trophies for that. You may not consider yourself able to have a dog in an open top car then that's your ability and skill thats lacking ..... my dogs are absolutely fine in open top cars.

Unsafe - maybe for those who have no control over their dogs ..... not for
quality.

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I take the point about unrestrained ..... but, the subject of the thread is carrying a dog in an open top on a low loader - which, even my dog, would be a concern.

I True we digressed a little there. I have just spoken to a good friend who has been an award winning recovery driver for years and apparently standard practice and procedure would be to put the dogs in the car on the back of the truck . Apparently I got friends favours when they recovered me!!! the dogs should indeed have been back in my car lol. I shall pose the question of the open top or indeed a car that is damaged and unsafe to put the dog back in .