The Baseline: AVMA Rules Out Loose Pets, We Rule Out Shared Crates
What AVMA actually says
The AVMA policy on safe non-commercial transport of pets in motor vehicles, read in full on August 5, 2026, is three short paragraphs. On the inside of a vehicle it states: “It is unsafe for pets to be loose inside motor vehicles. The preferred means of transport of pets within the confines of a vehicle is either securing them in a species-appropriate enclosure of appropriate size, or fitting them with a properly designed, species-appropriate safety harness.”
Its separate paragraph on open cargo areas states that transport of pets, loose or tethered, in open cargo areas is not safe, and that properly secured, size-appropriate enclosures designed for use in open cargo areas need to be used instead, ventilated and able to maintain climatic conditions suitable for the pet’s species, breed, size, age, and conditioning. Read the scope of that paragraph carefully: an open cargo area means a pickup bed or a similar open-backed load space, not an SUV cargo area riding with the hatch closed. AVMA’s consumer page makes the same point in plainer words, saying that if you must transport your dog in the bed of a pickup truck, use “a secured and appropriately sized and ventilated dog kennel.”
That consumer page, read the same day, is also where AVMA’s sizing and placement instruction lives: choose a crate or carrier “big enough to allow your pet to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably”, then “Position the crate/carrier as near to the center of the vehicle as possible, and secure it in place to prevent movement.”
What AVMA does not say, and the correction we owe you
Correction, August 5, 2026. An earlier version of this page stated the one-animal-per-enclosure rule as AVMA policy, in one of its summary points, in its opening paragraph, and in three of its answers. That attribution was wrong. We re-read the policy in full on August 5, 2026, and no sentence in it addresses two animals sharing one enclosure. We have removed the attribution everywhere it appeared.
We still recommend the rule. It just rests on this site’s own reasoning, which we would rather show you than hide behind an agency’s name:
- No sharing crates. A crate rated for one dog wasn’t crash-tested with two dogs inside it. A CPS rating describes one exact configuration, down to the weight of the single dummy dog used, so it says nothing about how the same shell behaves with two animals in it. A shared enclosure also lets both animals collide with each other on impact, which is a mechanism no rating on the box accounts for.
- No tethering pets together as a substitute for individual restraint. AVMA does address tethering, but only for open cargo areas, where it says loose or tethered transport is not safe. Inside the cabin, treating a shared tether as a restraint is our call rather than a cited rule.
- No loose pets “keeping each other company” in the back seat or cargo area, even if they’re usually calm together at home. This one is AVMA’s, and it does not depend on how many animals are aboard: loose inside a motor vehicle is unsafe.
If you want the same question worked through for cats, our can two cats share a carrier guide reaches the same one-animal-per-container recommendation and is equally explicit that no authority publishes a two-per-box figure.
Vet-wins note: if a pet has a health condition that makes crate confinement stressful (severe anxiety, certain orthopedic issues, brachycephalic breathing difficulty in a snug enclosure), talk to your veterinarian about the right restraint approach before an emergency forces the decision. This page covers general transport safety, not condition-specific medical guidance.
What “Crash-Tested” Actually Means, and What It Doesn’t
Here’s the fact most product listings don’t lead with: there is no federal standard or mandatory industry crash test for pet carriers, crates, or harnesses in the US. AVMA’s own reporting is blunt about the gap. Its news article on pets and vehicles, published September 11, 2023, says that of the kennels, carriers, harnesses and seatbelts sold to restrain pets in cars, “unlike restraints for humans, there are no standards or industry tests for them”, and it names the Center for Pet Safety (CPS) as “the only nonprofit organization with testing and performance requirements for these products”.
CPS’s original studies, run with Subaru’s sponsorship in 2015, used crash-test dummy dogs at 25, 45, and 75 lb, modeled loosely on the human child-seat standard FMVSS 213, at MGA Research Corporation, an NHTSA-contracted independent lab. That’s real engineering rigor behind the ratings that exist. But AVMA’s current policy language is equally direct about the limits: “There is limited scientific information available to determine the safety of individual animal transport products. Therefore, AVMA encourages development of evidence-based crash testing of animal enclosures and safety harnesses used for motor vehicle travel.” That is an organization asking for more testing, not one treating CPS’s existing catalog as a finished standard.
Two things follow from that for a multi-pet household:
- “Crash-tested” marketing language on a product page is not the same as a published CPS result. Check the actual CPS-certified list before trusting the phrase.
- A rating only covers the exact tested configuration: a specific size, a specific test-dog weight, and, for some products, a specific set of anchor hardware. More on that below.
What’s Currently on CPS’s Certified List
As of this research, fetched directly from CPS’s own live directory, the certified products include:
| Category |
Product |
CPS rating |
Test dog weight |
| Carrier |
Away Pet Travel Carrier |
5-star |
18 lb |
| Carrier |
Diggs Passenger Carrier |
5-star |
18 lb |
| Carrier |
PawsInCar Expandable Pet Carrier |
5-star |
12 lb |
| Carrier |
PawsInCar Multi-Window Cat Backpack Carrier |
5-star |
not detailed in this research pass |
| Crate |
Gunner G1 Kennel (Small / Medium / Intermediate) |
5-star |
75 lb (Intermediate) |
| Crate |
Cabela’s GunDog Kennel (Intermediate / Large) |
listed |
not detailed in this research pass |
| Crate |
Lucky Duck Lucky Kennel (Medium / Intermediate / Large) |
listed |
not detailed in this research pass |
Notably, no harnesses currently appear on CPS’s live certified directory, even though individual CPS-certified harness pages still exist online for products like Sleepypod’s Clickit Sport (tested in 2014, 5-star rating for that era’s protocol). That’s a real discrepancy worth flagging plainly: a standalone test page existing doesn’t confirm current certification status. If a harness’s crash-test claim matters to your decision, check CPS’s live directory yourself before buying, rather than trusting an older product page or a retailer’s marketing copy.
A Rating Doesn’t Transfer Across Sizes or Setups
The Gunner G1 Kennel is the clearest example of how narrow a certification actually is. The Small, Medium, and Intermediate sizes carry a 5-star CPS rating, but the Large size does not, despite sharing the same brand and construction. And the rating itself only applies when the crate is anchored with Gunner’s own strength-rated tie-down straps and built-in anchor pins; the crate alone, secured some other way, is not the tested configuration.
The same logic applies more broadly: a 5-star rating on an 18 lb-capacity carrier says nothing about how a 40 lb dog crammed into it would perform, and a rating tested with one anchoring method doesn’t carry over to a different strap, buckle, or seatbelt-latch setup you improvise yourself.
Single-Dog SUV Owners: Which Crash-Tested Crate, and How It Fits the Cargo Area
Most of this page is about juggling several animals, but a large share of the people searching for a crash-tested dog crate for an SUV have exactly one dog and one question: which Center for Pet Safety certified dog crate should ride in the back, and will it actually fit the cargo area? This section answers that, and the same logic is your starting point if you ever add a second dog.
Everything here still runs on the rules the rest of this page sets out: no two dogs sharing one crate, and a crate only performs the way it was tested when it is anchored with the manufacturer’s own straps. What changes for a single dog is that you get to size the crate to one animal and one cargo footprint instead of compromising across several.
The CPS-Certified Crate Shortlist (and the Popular Crate That Isn’t On It)
Extending the certified-list table above, three hard-sided kennel lines carry a current CPS 5-star rating in sizes that suit a single medium-to-large dog:
Two points worth stating plainly:
- For a large dog, the Gunner G1 is the wrong size to reach for. Only the Gunner G1 Small, Medium, and Intermediate are CPS crash-tested; the G1 Large is not, despite carrying the same brand name. So the best crash-tested crate for a large dog isn’t a bigger Gunner. The CPS-certified large-dog options are the Cabela’s GunDog Large (crash-tested at 90 lb) and the Lucky Duck Lucky Kennel Large, which is the only crate on this page CPS-tested at a full 110 lb.
- The Diggs Revol is not a crash-tested crate. It is a popular, well-built collapsible crate, and people often assume the Diggs name carries a crash rating. It does not: the Revol does not appear on CPS’s live certified directory, and Diggs’ only CPS-certified product is its soft Passenger Carrier, not a hard crate. It is exactly the kind of well-known product whose name gets mentally filed under “crash-tested” without a CPS result behind it, so check the certified list before assuming.
How the Crate Fits: A Worked SUV Cargo-Area Example
“Will it fit” is a footprint question, and the number that decides it usually isn’t the widest point of your cargo floor. It’s the width between the rear wheel wells, which intrude and leave less usable width than the load floor’s widest measurement. Measure that, plus the cargo length from the closed liftgate to the folded rear seatback, and leave a few inches of slack for the anchor straps and the door swing.
Here are the verified exterior footprints of the certified crate sizes, smallest to largest:
| Crate and size |
Exterior footprint (L x W) |
Empty weight |
| Gunner G1 Small |
24.5“ x 18.625“ |
27 lb |
| Gunner G1 Medium |
29.5“ x 20.5“ |
38 lb |
| Cabela’s GunDog Intermediate |
32“ x 22“ |
not published |
| Lucky Duck Intermediate |
32.5“ x 22.5“ |
38 lb |
| Gunner G1 Intermediate |
34“ x 23“ |
48 lb |
| Lucky Duck Large |
38“ x 24“ |
45 lb |
Worked example, one dog. A 70 lb Labrador rides comfortably in an Intermediate crate. A Lucky Duck Intermediate (32.5-inch by 22.5-inch footprint) or a Gunner G1 Intermediate (34-inch by 23-inch) sits centered on the cargo floor, anchored with the maker’s straps, and clears the cargo length most mid-size SUVs offer once the rear seats are folded, though you should still measure yours. Step the same dog up to a 95 lb shepherd and you are in Large territory, where the Cabela’s GunDog Large (crash-tested at 90 lb) or the Lucky Duck Large (crash-tested at 110 lb) is the certified answer. Re-measure at that size: a Large footprint like the Lucky Duck’s 38-inch by 24-inch shell takes up most of a mid-size cargo floor on its own.
Now the “how many crates fit” question. This is where single-dog and multi-dog math split. Two Intermediate crates set side by side need at least about 45 inches of clear width (two 22.5-inch shells touching, before any strap clearance), which is more usable width than sits between the rear wheel wells of most SUVs short of full-size. So if you are planning ahead for a second dog, the realistic layouts are one crate anchored in the cargo area plus a second smaller carrier belted on a folded or rear seat, or two Small-to-Medium crates if both dogs are small enough. What we do not put on the table is one big crate shared between two dogs, for the crash-configuration and collision reasons this page opens with. Once a second dog is in the picture, the practical loading order below covers the sequence for getting both anchored safely. Past two animals the question stops being layout and becomes capacity, and it is answerable with a tape measure: how many pets fit in one car runs cargo dimensions against crate footprints by vehicle type, including the stacking and anchor-point limits that cap the count well before the floor space does.
How to Anchor a Carrier or Crate Correctly
AVMA’s positioning guidance, from its consumer page on pet safety in vehicles rather than from the transport policy, is written for one animal: “Position the crate/carrier as near to the center of the vehicle as possible, and secure it in place to prevent movement.” The enclosure itself should be “big enough to allow your pet to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably.” Nothing about that changes when a second animal is in the car; it simply has to be satisfied once per enclosure, which is where the layout problem starts.
In a multi-pet load, that center-of-vehicle guidance gets harder to satisfy for every animal at once, since you likely can’t put two or three crates all at true center. Prioritize:
- The heaviest or largest crate goes in the most stable position (typically flat cargo-area floor, low and centered), since a heavier enclosure that shifts does more damage on impact.
- Smaller carriers can go on a securely belted back seat if a seatbelt latch or strap system is part of that carrier’s design (like Away’s built-in latch). Check the manufacturer’s own instructions for how their attachment is meant to be used.
- Every enclosure gets secured against movement, full stop. An unsecured carrier, even a highly rated one, isn’t performing anywhere near its tested configuration if it’s free to slide across the cargo area.
Cargo-Area Heat and Airflow: A Multi-Pet-Specific Risk
Loading multiple pets often means the cargo area gets used, not just back seats, and cargo areas carry their own risks that a single-pet cabin trip usually avoids.
Heat builds fast, everywhere in the vehicle. AVMA’s pet safety in vehicles page, read August 5, 2026, states that the temperature inside your vehicle “can rise about 20 degrees Fahrenheit in just 10 minutes, and almost 30 degrees in 20 minutes”, and that “At one hour, your vehicle’s interior temperature can be more than 40 degrees higher than the outside temperature.” AVMA credits those figures to research on vehicle safety for children, and adds that “cracking the windows makes no difference.” That applies to the whole vehicle, not just the front seats. The same page’s instruction is unqualified: “Never leave your pet alone in a parked vehicle, no matter what the outdoor temperature or how long you think you’ll be gone.”
Watch for heatstroke signs during the drive, not just when parked. The ASPCA lists the warning signs plainly: excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart or respiratory rate, drooling, weakness, or collapse. More severe signs include seizures, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and a body temperature above 104°F. If you see any of these signs, stop and get the animal to a veterinarian immediately. This isn’t something to monitor and wait out.
A cargo-area reference point, used carefully. There’s no personal-vehicle federal heat standard for pet transport, but the USDA’s Animal Welfare Act regulations set a commercial-transport threshold worth knowing as a reference. 9 CFR § 3.16(e), read on eCFR on August 5, 2026, requires that during surface transportation, auxiliary ventilation such as fans, blowers or air conditioning be used in any animal cargo space containing live dogs or cats when the ambient temperature there reaches 85 °F, and states that “the ambient temperature may not exceed 85 °F (29.5 °C) for a period of more than 4 hours; nor fall below 45 °F (7.2 °C) for a period of more than 4 hours.” That section speaks to transport in commerce by persons subject to those regulations, so it is not a rule for your personal SUV and we are not offering a reading of how far its words reach. It is a useful sense check for how seriously the regulated side of the industry treats sustained heat exposure in an enclosed space.
Open tailgates create a carbon monoxide risk, not just a heat one. Driving with a tailgate, trunk lid, or rear hatch open can pull exhaust into the cabin or cargo area. If a tailgate has to stay open for a load that doesn’t fit otherwise, open windows or vents to keep air actively moving through rather than letting exhaust pool where a pet is riding.
A Practical Loading Order for Multiple Pets
No authority we checked, AVMA, the Red Cross, and the ASPCA among them, publishes a specific loading sequence for multi-pet vehicles; that gap is real, and we’re not going to dress up general reasoning as an official checklist. What follows is our own practical logic, not an authority citation:
- Secure and anchor the largest or heaviest enclosure first, in its planned position, before adding anything else. It’s harder to correctly anchor a big crate around smaller carriers already in place.
- Load calmer, more crate-experienced animals next. An animal that’s already comfortable in its carrier settles faster and won’t destabilize a neighboring enclosure by thrashing against it.
- Separate predator/prey-type pairings and any animals with tension between them. A cat carrier and a dog crate shouldn’t be positioned where they’re pressed against each other if the pets stress each other out.
- Load the most anxious or reactive animal last, closest to a position where you can see or reach it quickly, since that pet is most likely to need a mid-drive check.
- Do a final walk-around: every enclosure anchored, every latch checked, nothing loose that could shift under braking.
Vet-Wins Reminders Before You Drive
- Never leave any pet unattended in a parked vehicle, in the cabin or the cargo area, at any temperature. That one is AVMA’s own instruction and it carries no exception: “Never leave your pet alone in a parked vehicle, no matter what the outdoor temperature or how long you think you’ll be gone.”
- A wrong-configuration “crash-tested” claim is worse than no claim. Confirm the exact size, weight rating, and anchor hardware match what CPS actually tested before trusting a 5-star label.
- If a pet shows heatstroke signs during transport (heavy panting, drooling, weakness, collapse, seizures) stop and get to a veterinarian immediately; don’t try to manage it in the vehicle.
- For suspected poisoning or toxic exposure during a stop, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is available 24/7 at (888) 426-4435 (a consultation fee may apply per the ASPCA’s own page).
How We Chose
These picks are built from Center for Pet Safety’s own published crash-test results, fetched directly from CPS’s live certified-product pages, cross-referenced against manufacturer spec pages for dimensions and anchoring hardware. We did not test any of these carriers or crates ourselves, and we say so plainly.
Where an Amazon listing couldn’t be independently verified as live during this research pass, we noted it and provided a search query instead of a direct link. Full methodology at /review-methodology.
Once your vehicle-loading plan is set, the harder multi-pet question is often triage: our which pet evacuates first guide walks through prioritizing animals when time is short, and multi-pet go-bag math covers scaling food, water, and supplies per animal rather than per household. If cats are part of your load, evacuating multiple cats covers carrier and handling considerations specific to cat behavior under stress.
This page owns the restraint mechanics: crash-test evidence, anchoring, and cargo-area heat and CO risk, for any drive, an afternoon evacuation or a multi-day relocation. If you’re planning a long-distance move rather than a short evacuation, our moving long distance with pets guide covers the parts this page doesn’t: CVI and interstate paperwork timing, microchip-address updates, hotel-stay logistics, per-species transport rules for fish, reptiles, and birds, and the sedation question, while pointing back here for the actual restraint setup.