Full Notification

What: The Dangers of Traveling with Unsecured Pets in your Vehicle and Equestrian Safety Tips

When: Press Conference Thursday, March 15, 2012 10:00 am. 05:30 – 10:00 a.m. – Product Demonstration Period with live animals

Where: Press Conference will be held at the Hansen Dam Equestrian Center
11127 Orcas Avenue
Lake View Terrace, CA 91342

Why: In an effort to increase public safety and raise awareness, Valley Traffic Division is holding a “How To Travel With Your Pets Safely and Equestrian Safety Tips Press Conference.” The Los Angeles Police Department, Valley Traffic Division wants to stress the importance of properly securing your pets while you travel on our city streets. Injury or death can occur to the driver, passenger or pet because an unrestrained animal can become a projectile inside the vehicle. An unrestrained animal could strike the driver, passenger or interior of the vehicle during a collision. An unrestrained 80- pound dog will exert approximately 2400 pounds of force in a 30 MPH collision. Unrestrained pets can also distract the driver and cause a collision. If a pet is not restrained and the driver is incapacitated, it could get out of a crashed vehicle and run into traffic.

Properly securing a horse and trailer is also a must. Having a horse trailer disconnect from a vehicle with a 1000 pound horse could have devastating consequences. The loose trailer could collide with other vehicles or pedestrians. In addition when riding a horse on a City street, the rider must obey the rules of the road, just like the driver of a car. Drivers and pedestrians must use caution when approaching a horse as not to scare the animal upon their approach.

We want to encourage everyone to “Share The Road,” in an effort to improve traffic safety in our communities, and to keep our pets safe.


For additional information, please contact Sgt. Art Gomez at (805) 559-9637
Or Officer Michael Graham at (661) 645-6365