Doggie danger: The hazard of allowing your pooch to hang out an open car window
The danger of letting a dog hang out an open car window while in motion has been illustrated in one harrowing video.
The pooch was seen out of the window of an SUV, and into three busy lanes of traffic in Golden, Colorado Tuesday.
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The dog didn't seem to realize the danger he's in.
Mike Kannely shot the scary video, which has been obtained by ViralHog, during rush hour on Interstate 70.
"I slammed on my brakes and luckily I was able to stop in time," he said.
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There were actually two dogs in the car. At first, one was catching the breeze from the SUV's back window. Then his little buddy appeared and did the same before opting to jump.
"If we'd been going full speed on the highway, it would have died instantly," Kannely said.
The driver of the SUV pulled over to the side of the road and a passenger heads back to rescue the dog.
Sadly, the pooch was limping after his death-defying leap. The guy picks up the injured dog.
Mike's wife, Erica, posted the video on Facebook as a warning to fellow animal lovers.
Erica told Inside Edition: "I have two little Chihuahuas and I let them look out, you know? And I'm like: 'We need to share this, let people know.' We try to make our dogs happy, we could kill our dogs."
Experts say canine owners should never let their dog hang out the car window.
Emergency room veterinarian Dr. Laura Gibeon said: "The best way to secure your dog in car is a crate or a seat harness."
There's another benefit to dog car harnesses. You can also prevent your dog from being injured in an accident.
Erica says her days of letting their dogs hang out the car window are over, saying: "No way will I do that again, absolutely not."
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