Dogs in the Vault

[Fleetwood75]

I don't know. I have always had an emotional attachment to my dogs. (my kids? , meh) If I can justify cleaning the interior because the kids or a guest dropped or spilled something (or I did), then I can justify vacuuming out pet hair. They make covers for the back seats if you don't want the hair on the seats. Ain't no freaking way I'm putting my dog in any tunnel or vault. And if the cab is full, the dog ain't going. And if we already have the dog with us, then there will be fewer peeps in the car/truck. People that ride in the bed do so knowingly. You can explain risks to them. I try and explain risk to my dog, and they just look at me and wait for the door to open so we can go. I will not ever wake up and feel guilty that my dog isn't here or suffered pain because I didn't afford them the same level of safety I give to people. Period, full stop.

We go camping as a family (Me, my wife, 2 kids, 2 large dogs). I can't leave the dogs home with nobody to watch them, and I wouldn't want them to miss out since they love getting out into nature. This is not an everyday use case, it's several times a year for trips that are generally 5 hours or less each way. If Telsa made a large SUV version of the Cybertruck then I'd just get that, but they don't. So my options are either to find a way to transport the dogs in the Cybertruck, or get a Rivian R1S and have them ride in the back of that, or keep driving my gas-guzzling Yukon, or drive two cars on every camping trip (wife and kids in the Model X, me and the dogs in the cab of the Cybertruck)

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[Fleetwood75]

There is a regulatory requirement in commercial air transport to have the dogs secured. In private jets this is done with either a kennel that's belted or attached to the aircraft interior, or a harness that is connected to a seat belt. I use a harness for the large dogs I've had and flown with. Never had them on the plane without one. If you think it's bad at highway speeds or under, imagine at double that in a plane. And planes don't have "crumple zones" to dissipate energy.

It's bonkers that dogs must be secured but lap infants are not regulated! Also, if a private jet crashes I doubt a harness is going to do much, you're pretty much toast no matter what right?

 

[PilotPete]

We go camping as a family (Me, my wife, 2 kids, 2 large dogs). I can't leave the dogs home with nobody to watch them, and I wouldn't want them to miss out since they love getting out into nature. This is not an everyday use case, it's several times a year for trips that are generally 5 hours or less each way. If Telsa made a large SUV version of the Cybertruck then I'd just get that, but they don't. So my options are either to find a way to transport the dogs in the Cybertruck, or get a Rivian R1S and have them ride in the back of that, or keep driving my gas-guzzling Yukon, or drive two cars on every camping trip (wife and kids in the Model X, me and the dogs in the cab of the Cybertruck)

You've said it yourself, you have options. What I'm saying is, when I have options, here are my reasons for choosing the one I do. In your case I'd either take the Yukon, or drive two cars. Your choices are based on your priorities. I'm just telling you what mine are.

 

[Fleetwood75]

Something that needs to be mentioned, because I haven't seen anyone point out, and is EXTREMELY important for people who often have passengers in the rear seats, especially children and pets in the "way back", is to remember to turn off the "MAX" and/or "RECIRC" setting on your A/C.

The recirculating setting is helpful when you want to quickly cool the FRONT SEATS of your vehicle. It accomplishes this by closing off the ducts that bring in outside air, instead recirculating the conditioned air in the passenger compartment. The intakes for this recirculating air is under the dash, near the footwells of the front seat passengers. The cool air from the dash vents quickly gets sucked back into the evaporator coil plenum to cool down further, this recirculation leaves very little air exchange in the rear of the vehicle, so very little cooling beyond the front seats.

The passenger compartment has exhaust vents at the rear of the vehicle intended to draw conditioned air to the rear portions of the passenger compartment, and even the trunk. Most people are familiar with the cabin air intake grill at the base of the windshield but often oblivious to the exhaust vents that allow the pressure release, letting in the intake air. Cars in the old days used to play up these vents with contrasting colors or even chrome.

Not so much anymore. The exhaust vents on modern cars are hidden behind brake light assemblies, under roof rack mounts and window trim, but they still accomplish the important function of bringing cool/warm air to the rear of the car.

Grown ups and teenagers are good about notifying the driver that they're getting overheated, but toddlers, infants and pets will suffer silently, or at best cry ambiguously if you have the "MAX" or "RECIRC" setting activated, effectively closing off these exhaust vents because there's no fresh air coming in the intake vent.




Thanks for daring to be gruesome cvalue, it's something many folks need to hear.

Really good info here! Thanks for sharing

 

[PilotPete]

It's bonkers that dogs must be secured but lap infants are not regulated! Also, if a private jet crashes I doubt a harness is going to do much, you're pretty much toast no matter what right?

Lap dogs are under the same weight restrictions as lap babies. And I NEVER flew with my kids as lap projectiles. I either bought them a seat and they flew in the child safety seat, or it was a private flight, and they flew in a child safety seat. I can give you dates and flight numbers where child safety seats saved lives.

As to aircraft accidents, it all depends. If you're thinking about a burning chunk of metal falling out of the sky, no, not gonna matter. If you're looking at a landing gear failure, going off the end of the runway, rejected take-off that veers off the side? almost always survivable. Fire is the biggest threat to everyone except the pilots (who end up being the "crumple zone") If I get a warning light while I'm taking off at 130mph and I have to stop, you can bet your butt that everything that isn't nailed down is heading up the aisle towards my office. I take that seriously.

 

[Fleetwood75]

Lap dogs are under the same weight restrictions as lap babies. And I NEVER flew with my kids as lap projectiles. I either bought them a seat and they flew in the child safety seat, or it was a private flight, and they flew in a child safety seat. I can give you dates and flight numbers where child safety seats saved lives.

As to aircraft accidents, it all depends. If you're thinking about a burning chunk of metal falling out of the sky, no, not gonna matter. If you're looking at a landing gear failure, going off the end of the runway, rejected take-off that veers off the side? almost always survivable. Fire is the biggest threat to everyone except the pilots (who end up being the "crumple zone") If I get a warning light while I'm taking off at 130mph and I have to stop, you can bet your butt that everything that isn't nailed down is heading up the aisle towards my office. I take that seriously.

Don't get me wrong, I agree that children are not safe on laps, I'm just saying it's crazy that they are allowed to especially after UA232

 

[AndrewB]

A closed vault seems like a deathtrap.

Not if the back window rolls down and we can get air circulation to it. I plan to do the same. Letting my dog ride in the vault, if possible.

 

[davelloydbrown]

my 4 kids are grown up so my two goldens get the back seat. I hope the back seat folds up like in my silverado because it gives them more room and I can lay down a blanket because they like to swim in the swampest places they can find and are wet and covered in mud.

 

[Beyond]

I don't know. I have always had an emotional attachment to my dogs. (my kids? , meh) If I can justify cleaning the interior because the kids or a guest dropped or spilled something (or I did), then I can justify vacuuming out pet hair. They make covers for the back seats if you don't want the hair on the seats. Ain't no freaking way I'm putting my dog in any tunnel or vault. And if the cab is full, the dog ain't going. And if we already have the dog with us, then there will be fewer peeps in the car/truck. People that ride in the bed do so knowingly. You can explain risks to them. I try and explain risk to my dog, and they just look at me and wait for the door to open so we can go. I will not ever wake up and feel guilty that my dog isn't here or suffered pain because I didn't afford them the same level of safety I give to people. Period, full stop.

Totally agree. My 75lb Border Collie lives in the back seat of the Model Y via a dog seat cover/hammock and loosely belted in. She sleeps whenever the car is idle but has to watch through the window whenever the car is in motion (could be a statement about my driving). If there's a 3rd person, half the dog cover zips out and they get to have a dog licking their ear now and then. BTW, dog mode is next level and mandatory for any future car I buy. As an aside, I sure wouldn't be putting a dog in that Rivian tunnel...

 

[Crissa]

It's bonkers that dogs must be secured but lap infants are not regulated! Also, if a private jet crashes I doubt a harness is going to do much, you're pretty much toast no matter what right?

Lap infants aren't likely to run about the cabin. Or weigh fifty pounds and cause concussions when launched into the air by turbulence.

There are places dogs shouldn't be. Driver's seats, hanging out of windows unsecured, tossed in the back where they'll slide about, wildlife sanctuaries, etc.

-Crissa

 

[Fleetwood75]

Lap infants aren't likely to run about the cabin. Or weigh fifty pounds and cause concussions when launched into the air by turbulence.

There are places dogs shouldn't be. Driver's seats, hanging out of windows unsecured, tossed in the back where they'll slide about, wildlife sanctuaries, etc.

-Crissa

That's a good point, I was thinking in this case of the safety of the dog or infant themselves by being restrained, but there are other considerations when the body of the dog or infant becomes a projectile. As for running around the cabin, a dog is no better than a toddler in that regard, and I've seen both unleashed

 

[ldjessee]

I would like to ask where the air for the rear vents comes from? Because for the last 20 years the cars I have owned, the rear vents are fed the same air, using the same fan, as the dashboard, so recirculating air cools air and pushes it out all the vents, front and back.
Now, I have not owned SUVs, just cars and wagons (VW and Subaru), so maybe SUVs operate a little differently?
But for my passenger cars and wagons (estates to some), the rear vents are fed from the front, so recirculating works just fine for those in the back seat as the front…

 

[Crissa]

Something that needs to be mentioned, because I haven't seen anyone point out, and is EXTREMELY important for people who often have passengers in the rear seats, especially children and pets in the "way back", is to remember to turn off the "MAX" and/or "RECIRC" setting on your A/C.

The recirculating setting is helpful when you want to quickly cool the FRONT SEATS of your vehicle. It accomplishes this by closing off the ducts that bring in outside air, instead recirculating the conditioned air in the passenger compartment. The intakes for this recirculating air is under the dash, near the footwells of the front seat passengers. The cool air from the dash vents quickly gets sucked back into the evaporator coil plenum to cool down further, this recirculation leaves very little air exchange in the rear of the vehicle, so very little cooling beyond the front seats.

The passenger compartment has exhaust vents at the rear of the vehicle intended to draw conditioned air to the rear portions of the passenger compartment, and even the trunk. Most people are familiar with the cabin air intake grill at the base of the windshield but often oblivious to the exhaust vents that allow the pressure release, letting in the intake air. Cars in the old days used to play up these vents with contrasting colors or even chrome.

Not so much anymore. The exhaust vents on modern cars are hidden behind brake light assemblies, under roof rack mounts and window trim, but they still accomplish the important function of bringing cool/warm air to the rear of the car.

Grown ups and teenagers are good about notifying the driver that they're getting overheated, but toddlers, infants and pets will suffer silently, or at best cry ambiguously if you have the "MAX" or "RECIRC" setting activated, effectively closing off these exhaust vents because there's no fresh air coming in the intake vent.




Thanks for daring to be gruesome cvalue, it's something many folks need to hear.

My car uses the defrost vent as the return in recirculation, so cold, dry air comes from the footwells in the front and the back, the returns back through the dash. In fact, my car only lets me turn off the footwell vents if I direct all the air through the dash and exclude the defrost.

Most modern cars have at least footwell venting in the rear. It reduces condensation in the carpets while being cheap to implement.

Different cars have different methods of recirculating air. Teslas have footwell vents in the rear, and in the S/X models, vents in the armrest. I think, I haven't examined this in quite some time.

So recirculating doesn't leave the back untouched.

As for running around the cabin, a dog is no better than a toddler in that regard, and I've seen both unleashed

Yes, but our society tends to frown on crating toddlers

-Crissa

 

[PilotPete]

Yes, but our society tends to frown on crating toddlers

Considering a couple of the flights I’ve been on lately, maybe we should rethink this!

 

[Fleetwood75]

Who knows, my dogs turn 10 years old in March, they might not even live long enough for this to be an actual problem depending on how long I have to wait for my truck...

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