Do you consider your pet to be part of the family? We’d be surprised if you didn’t, and we’re pretty sure you’d agree that your pet deserves to be protected from collisions, too. At Lester Glenn Subaru, we are proud to announce that Subaru of America, Inc., has joined forces with the Center for Pet Safety (CPS) to expand its pet safety product crash testing measures.

We think it’s a great time to continue seeking out better opportunities to protect our furry friends as 56 percent of American pet owners travel with pets, with one in five of those drivers admitting that they travel with pets sitting in their laps. Through its partnership, Subaru will fund test crash scenarios designed by CPS for pet crates and small carriers. On top of exploring crate connection options and assessing the structural integrity of crates and carriers, the purpose of the study is to collect data that will assist in organizing test and performance standards.

CPS is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit research and consumer advocacy organization. Its testing partnership with Subaru picks up on test scenarios that began in 2013 with pet harnesses. That endeavor led to the Harness Crashworthiness Study, which identified major differences in pet restraint performance across a range of popular products. That test period was the first formal test protocol project that saw independent rating guidelines established for pet travel harnesses.

If you’d like to make sure that your dog or cat is on board for safer journeys through Manahawkin in your 2015 Subaru Legacy, then we want you to know that we’re right behind you. Check back in with our dealership blog for updates on future pet safety testing through Subaru and CPS.