ANIMAL lovers are being urged to belt up their pets when travelling in the car as part of a new road safety campaign.
Warrington Borough Council and Cheshire Dogs Home have teamed up to encourage pet owners to restrain their animals with harnesses while taking them on journeys.
The simple action helps to prevent injuries to the animal itself as well as other people in the event of an accident.
In a collision, the body's weight increases by 30 times, which means that a dog weighing around 50lb would be thrown forward with a force equivalent to nine, 12-stone men.
Melanie Hodgson, road safety officer, said: "We hear a lot about adults, babies and children being encouraged to wear seat belts, but people often forget about animals left loose in the car.
"A dog thrown forward could be injured itself, as well as hurting other people in the car."
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