Kurgo Introduces First Car Safety Harness Crash-Tested For Larger Dogs

SALISBURY, MA--September 30, 2013: Kurgo Products continues to lead innovation in the dog travel safety market by introducing the Tru-Fit Enhanced Strength Harness, 3085 Series, the first harness specifically designed and crash-tested for larger dogs.

“The Tru-Fit Enhanced Strength Harness has evolved over time and will continue to evolve as more research is available. Like the car industry, safety features have progressed over time and are always improving. Kurgo intends to stay the leader in this area.”

“We continuously test our products to meet our mission of creating the best product in the market,” said Kitter Spater, Co-Founder & Lead Designer. “The Tru-Fit Enhanced Strength Harness has evolved over time and will continue to evolve as more research is available. Like the car industry, safety features have progressed over time and are always improving. Kurgo intends to stay the leader in this area.”

The 3085 Series Harness was sled tested with an 85lb test dog going 30mph. This is enough force to lift and suspend a car in mid-air. The harness is made in the United States and was crash-tested at an accredited National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lab using Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 213 for child restraint systems. Although there are no government-issued federal standards for dog car harnesses, Kurgo maintains its own test program in order to improve dog harness technology and innovate for greater safety. View the Crash-Test Video.

According to the AAA/Kurgo Pet Travel Study, 56% of dog owners have traveled with their dog in the car in the past month. Only 16% restrain their dog, exposing themselves to distracted driving accidents if their pet climbs into the front seat as well as potential injury to their dog in the case of an accident.

The harness comes with a dog seat belt and has 5 adjustment points so it can be proportioned to fit all kinds of dogs perfectly. The steel nestling buckles are based on technology used in rock climbing, making them easy to use and strong enough to restrain dogs in the case of an accident. A single point harness to seatbelt attachment creates a simple and direct connection to all integrated 3 point car seat belt systems with no chance of incorrect installation.

“Our goal was to create an easy-to-use car safety harness that is convenient for owners and comfortable for pets,” said Spater. “We know that if the harness is difficult to use or dogs cannot tolerate it, pets will go unrestrained causing danger to the driver, passengers and dog. Our first goal is to increase the numbers of people who restrain their pets while driving.”