Crash test doggies show that pets can become deadly missiles

A dog may be man's best friend but left to roam inside a car it could turn out to be your worst enemy in a crash. Unrestrained pets or faulty restraints are turning dogs into potential killers, say safety researchers in Australia.

The National Roads and Motorists' Association has tested some of the most common dog car harnesses and found many don't work.

At a collision demonstration in Sydney, the motoring lobby's head researcher Robert McDonald warned pet owners to avoid restraints with plastic clips around the animal's chest and those that restrain by the neck.

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He said the 40 per cent of motorists surveyed who admitted to driving with an unrestrained dog were putting their pets and themselves in serious danger. If the dog hits the back of the driver's seat, it could push you into the steering wheel when the airbag goes off, he said. "The dog itself could collide with the side of your head, going past the seat on the way to the dash."