Mocha Shaken and Stirred but Thankfully Uninjured After Cracking Car Windshield

We all know the importance of buckling up whether we are a driver or passenger in a moving vehicle. As Susan Chasmar of Barnegat, N.J., can now attest, restraining our furry friends while we’re on the road is just as important. Susan was driving through a parking lot on her way to take Mocha, her one-year-old Bernese mountain dog, to her first class of beginner puppy training. Suddenly, a pedestrian stepped out in front of her vehicle, causing her to stop short and pushing Mocha forward from the passenger seat of the car and into the windshield. In addition to a cracked windshield, the incident also resulted in a trip to the veterinarian, earning Mocha the title of February’s “Most Unusual Claim of the Month” by Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI).

“After I parked the car, I immediately checked her head for bleeding, and luckily there wasn’t any,” explained Susan. “Fortunately, there was a pet hospital in the same building as her training class. The veterinarian said that she had a high temperature so they took a blood sample but no further treatment was required and she was even able to complete her first training class that day as scheduled.”

A few days later, Susan took Mocha for a follow-up appointment with her veterinarian and she was given a clean bill of health. Susan recognizes how fortunate she was that Mocha didn’t sustain any injuries as a result of the incident.

“Not only did she come away uninjured, but she also doesn’t seem to have psychological scars,” said Susan. “She still loves getting in the car, but we make sure she stays harnessed in the back seat when we are driving.”

“Just like all human passengers, four-legged passengers should be restrained in a vehicle too,” said Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “Ideally, pet owners should use a crate or carrier to protect their pets inside of a car. This is especially important due to unexpected stops and turns. Some dogs, like Mocha, might be too large to be restrained in a crate while traveling in a car; at the very least these large breeds should be secured by a safety harness to prevent the pet from exploring and moving around the vehicle.”

Susan began to appreciate the value of pet insurance in 2011, when her previous Bernese, Babe Ruth, was diagnosed with Lymphoma and anemia.

“Caring for her was very expensive and I would have gone into extreme financial distress if it wasn’t for my pet insurance,” explained Susan. “I tell everyone I know that they should have VPI Pet Insurance. It offers peace of mind.”