Aug 26, 2010 – Today, more and more boaters are bringing their pets on board for a day on the water. Boat captains need to stop and think about a few simple steps that will ensure they and their pets have a fun, safe boating experience this upcoming Labor Day weekend.
Pet Safety Lady recommends the following steps for safe boating with your pet:
• Take things slow if it is your pet’s first time on the boat. Let him adjust to the movement of the boat and the sound of the engine.
• Always consider a Personal (Pet) Flotation Device. Most have a handle on back to easily lift your pet out of the water.
• Provide better footing with a piece of carpet or rubber mat (considering that your pet is not wearing boat shoes).
• Check the deck’s temperature often. Deck surfaces can get quite hot on your pet’s footpads.
“Although it is important to take the appropriate steps to make sure your pet is safe on board, it is equally important to make sure that you and your family are safe as well this holiday,” said Allstate New York spokesperson Krista Conte.
According to Allstate’s Boat Safety brochure, here is the boater’s checklist:
• Always wear a personal flotation device (PFD) when boating.
• Don’t use an inflatable toy as a substitute for a PFD.
• Never drink and boat.
• Pay attention to weather changes. Head for shore when winds increase or storm clouds roll in.
• Always tell someone where you’re going and when you plan to return.
• Be aware of exhaust emissions. Avoid areas where carbon monoxide collects in and around your boat.
• Follow Red-Right-Running: keep red buoys to your right (starboard) and green buoys to your left (port).
• Take a boating safety course from an expert organization (e.g. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or U.S. Power Squadron).
In addition to safeguarding yourself and passengers, your boat is a valuable investment that should have an up-to-date boat insurance policy.
To learn more about Allstate’s boat insurance, New York customers can contact a local Allstate agent at 1-800 Allstate or www.allstate.com.
ABOUT PET SAFETY LADY
“Pet Safety Lady” Christina Selter, the founder of Bark Buckle UP, has been featured on more than 250 news network shows nationwide over the past few years, as well as in print and on radio. She travels the nation teaching pet safety to pet owners, and her efforts are supported by fire departments, police, Coast Guard and EMT personnel. She recently produced the free pet safety class DVD series, was filmed in her first national pet safety television commercial, and is currently producing a pet safety PSA for 2010. For more information, please visit www.barkbuckleup.com and www.petsafetylady.com.
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The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer, reinventing protection and retirement to help more than 17 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow.
http://www.prlog.org/10887684-safe-boating-with-your-pet.html
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Buckling UP Fido A Good Idea features Bark Buckle UP
Full article LINK below, from Lisa McCormick from Consumer Affairs she gets the real FACTS out there and has been writing about Bark Buckle UP for more then 3 years. Bark Buckle UP is the Original Pet Travel Safety education and statistics program, who doesn't make/sell products and is NOT bias.
Full ARTICLE HERE
Here is a teaser of her article:
The founder of the California-based Bark Buckle Up said unrestrained dogs involved in car accidents can also pose a threat to emergency workers.
Some dogs, for example, may try to protect their owners and not allow paramedics to treat the injured driver or passengers. Frightened dogs may even attack first responders, said the pet safety organization's Christina Selter.
In those cases, emergency workers are often forced to put the dogs down so they can save the injured person's life.
"This is so hard for first responders," Selter said. "They love animals. But if a car is on fire and the dog is hovering over its owner, they may not have a choice."
Selter has spent the past several years educating pet owners about the importance of keeping their dogs and cats restrained in vehicles. She's well aware of the distractions -- and safety problems -- caused by dogs and cats that travel unrestrained in cars, trucks, and SUVs.
Survey flaws?
And while she appreciates the attention the AAA/Kurgo study has generated about this issue, Selter said the survey's findings are flawed.
The study, for example, said 31 percent of drivers acknowledged being distracted by their dogs when driving. "That's not an accurate number," Selter told us. "The number (nationwide) is extremely higher."
Selter also questioned the methodology AAA/Kurgo used to reach its findings.
"You have to look at how their study is worded," she said. "They said 31 percent of the people in their survey 'admitted' they were distracted. When we do these studies, we record the actual distractions -- not people just admitting to being distracted.
"When you gather these types of statistics, you have to observe and record what people do and don't do," Selter added. "It's nice that they talked to pet people in their study, but these aren't real statistics."
What about the number of drivers who don't restrain their dogs in a vehicle?
The AAA/Kurgo study found only 17 percent of dog owners used any type of pet restraints. That means 83 percent don't retrain their pets in a vehicle. Selter said that figure is off, too.
"We've found that 90 percent of drivers who have pet in the car with them do not restrain them properly or (restrain them) at all," she said, adding her organization works with police chiefs and law enforcement agencies nationwide to collect its statistical data.
And remember the figures AAA used to describe the force exerted by an unrestrained dog involved in a car accident? How an unrestrained 80-pound dog in a crash at only 30 mph will exert 2,400 pounds of pressure?
Selter said those numbers aren't accurate either.
"AAA hasn't done any crash testing," she said. "We've done this since 2007 using approved methods. And we've found that a 60-pound dog, child, or even suitcase in crash going 35 mph becomes a 2,700-pound projectile. Basically, the object morphs into the size of a baby elephant."
The nationally-recognized "pet safety lady" also called AAA's survey "biased" because the organization teamed up with Kurgo -- a Massachusetts-based company that sells pet restraints.
"They would have been better off partnering with a shelter or rescue group," she said. "But this study is only a public relations move by AAA."
Something good, however, has come from the survey, Selter said. "At least more people are now aware of issue."
Pet owners can find more information about securing their dogs and cats in a vehicle -- and other pet safety travel tips -- on Bark Buckle Up's Web site.
Read more: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/08/pet_restraints.html#ixzz0y7EdLZ1c
Full ARTICLE HERE
Here is a teaser of her article:
The founder of the California-based Bark Buckle Up said unrestrained dogs involved in car accidents can also pose a threat to emergency workers.
Some dogs, for example, may try to protect their owners and not allow paramedics to treat the injured driver or passengers. Frightened dogs may even attack first responders, said the pet safety organization's Christina Selter.
In those cases, emergency workers are often forced to put the dogs down so they can save the injured person's life.
"This is so hard for first responders," Selter said. "They love animals. But if a car is on fire and the dog is hovering over its owner, they may not have a choice."
Selter has spent the past several years educating pet owners about the importance of keeping their dogs and cats restrained in vehicles. She's well aware of the distractions -- and safety problems -- caused by dogs and cats that travel unrestrained in cars, trucks, and SUVs.
Survey flaws?
And while she appreciates the attention the AAA/Kurgo study has generated about this issue, Selter said the survey's findings are flawed.
The study, for example, said 31 percent of drivers acknowledged being distracted by their dogs when driving. "That's not an accurate number," Selter told us. "The number (nationwide) is extremely higher."
Selter also questioned the methodology AAA/Kurgo used to reach its findings.
"You have to look at how their study is worded," she said. "They said 31 percent of the people in their survey 'admitted' they were distracted. When we do these studies, we record the actual distractions -- not people just admitting to being distracted.
"When you gather these types of statistics, you have to observe and record what people do and don't do," Selter added. "It's nice that they talked to pet people in their study, but these aren't real statistics."
What about the number of drivers who don't restrain their dogs in a vehicle?
The AAA/Kurgo study found only 17 percent of dog owners used any type of pet restraints. That means 83 percent don't retrain their pets in a vehicle. Selter said that figure is off, too.
"We've found that 90 percent of drivers who have pet in the car with them do not restrain them properly or (restrain them) at all," she said, adding her organization works with police chiefs and law enforcement agencies nationwide to collect its statistical data.
And remember the figures AAA used to describe the force exerted by an unrestrained dog involved in a car accident? How an unrestrained 80-pound dog in a crash at only 30 mph will exert 2,400 pounds of pressure?
Selter said those numbers aren't accurate either.
"AAA hasn't done any crash testing," she said. "We've done this since 2007 using approved methods. And we've found that a 60-pound dog, child, or even suitcase in crash going 35 mph becomes a 2,700-pound projectile. Basically, the object morphs into the size of a baby elephant."
The nationally-recognized "pet safety lady" also called AAA's survey "biased" because the organization teamed up with Kurgo -- a Massachusetts-based company that sells pet restraints.
"They would have been better off partnering with a shelter or rescue group," she said. "But this study is only a public relations move by AAA."
Something good, however, has come from the survey, Selter said. "At least more people are now aware of issue."
Pet owners can find more information about securing their dogs and cats in a vehicle -- and other pet safety travel tips -- on Bark Buckle Up's Web site.
Read more: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/08/pet_restraints.html#ixzz0y7EdLZ1c
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