Crash-Tested Dog Car Restraints: CPS Certified List (2026)

Driving with a dog or cat in a restraint that has passed an independent crash test means buying from one list: the Center for Pet Safety certified list. Below: what certification involves, every certified product, and why the test-dog weight and the crate straps matter as much as the product.

How we chose: we did not test these products; we took the list from CPS's own certified-products directory and product pages on September 28, 2026, and gave product cards only to certified models sold by Amazon.com or the brand's store and in stock that day.

What CPS certification means

The Center for Pet Safety is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that tests pet travel products. It says it does not use live animals in testing, is "not affiliated with the pet products industry," and does not accept funding from pet product manufacturers.

Its certification program is voluntary. Per the CPS Certified page, a maker that joins commits to:

• "meet independently developed safety standards."
• "monitor product quality control."
• "make a commitment to truth in marketing."

Each certified product has its own CPS page listing the size tested, the test date, the protocol (for example CPS-001-014.01 for harnesses), the rating and the weight of the crash test dog. That weight is the number to read. A carrier certified with a 12 lb test dog tells you nothing about a 25 lb dog.

Every product on the CPS certified list

As listed on CPS's product pages, September 28, 2026:

CPS's directory also lists a Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed Mini, a Lucky Kennel Large and a Cabela's GunDog Kennel Intermediate. Every product above is rated 5 stars except the Sleepypod Air, which is 4 stars.

Key point: "crash tested" on a listing is not the same thing. Kurgo says its Enhanced Strength Tru-Fit harness was tested at Calspan in 2018 to a procedure based on the child car seat standard, per Kurgo; it is not on the CPS list. The EzyDog Drive harness is titled "Crash Tested and Certified" on Amazon; EzyDog is not in the CPS directory either. Those are the makers' claims.

Our Ruffwear vs Kurgo comparison sets out both makers' own crash-test claims, including Ruffwear's statement that its Load Up would not meet CPS's current limits.

Crates: buy the straps CPS tested with

Every crate on the list was certified as a system: the crate plus its anchor straps. Gunner's G1 page reads "Gunner G1 Kennel with Strength Rated Anchor Straps," and Lucky Duck's reads "Lucky Kennel with Lucky Ratchet Strap Kit."

That matters because the Amazon listings sell the crate alone. The Gunner G1 Small listing says "GUNNER STRAPS NOT INCLUDED."

Gunner sells a tie-down strap kit from its own store, which its listing says is endorsed by CPS; the kit's name differs from the "Strength Rated Anchor Straps" on the CPS page, so confirm with Gunner that it is the rated set.

The Lucky Kennel Medium listing mentions integrated tie-downs but not the ratchet strap kit, so ask Lucky Duck which strap kit goes with it.

CPS's cargo area advisory explains why: "Crates should always be secured with strength-rated anchor straps," and in its 2015 crate study "proper anchor straps significantly reduced crate excursion into the seatback or passenger compartment." It also warns that cargo anchors "are not always weight-rated" for crash forces.

CPS suggests a quick estimate: for a crate, the force is your dog's weight plus the crate's weight, times the crash deceleration. Before you strap a crate into a cargo area, ask your vehicle's maker whether its anchors are strength-rated.

The 2015 crate study shows what that looks like. A Gunner Kennel G1 Intermediate strapped down with Gunner's connection straps held: "The Gunner Kennel did not strike the seatback," and "the crash test dog was retained." A 4Pets ProLine Milan crate in the same study had its anchor straps rupture and "tumbled in free flight off of the test sled."

A wire crate from home is a different product; our dog crate guide explains why a house crate is not a car restraint.

Prices are Amazon's, as of the time shown, and subject to change. Details

The Lucky Kennel Intermediate is also on the CPS list; on Amazon it is sold by Lucky Duck, but stock was limited when we checked.

Carriers for cats and small dogs

For a pet small enough for a carrier, the certified options that met our seller rule are two from PawsInCar. PawsInCar's own site links to these Amazon listings, which are sold by a store named "Pawincar." Amazon lists both as cat carriers; CPS certified them with 12 and 15 lb test dogs.

Prices are Amazon's, as of the time shown, and subject to change. Details

The listings describe the test in more detail than CPS does, including crash forces and the FMVSS 213b child-seat standard. Those details are PawsInCar's; the CPS pages confirm the product name, 5-star rating, date and test dog weight.

The Sleepypod Air, Atom and Mobile Pet Bed are also certified, and the Away Pet Carrier joined the list in May 2026. On Amazon, the Sleepypods were sold only by a third-party seller when we checked, so we left them without cards; check Sleepypod's and Away's own sites.

If a carrier will also fly, compare it with each airline's limits in our airline pet carrier size guide.

Harnesses: certified, but not from a trusted Amazon seller

All three certified harnesses were missing from our picks for the same reason: we could not find them from Amazon.com or the brand's own store. The Sleepypod Clickit Sport was listed only by a third-party seller. If you want a certified harness, buy it from Sleepypod or Saker directly.

Two rules from CPS apply to any harness:

• No extension tethers. CPS's extension tether advisory says these give pets "too much movement during a sudden stop or crash," creating a "clothes-line" effect on the spine, and that such add-ons "cancel out any crash-protection benefit." CPS restricts brands that sell extension tethers from its certification program.
• Back seat. The same advisory says to use a CPS Certified harness, crate or carrier and to "secure pets in the back seat."

A walking harness is a different product. None of our no-pull dog harness picks is certified, including one with a seat belt loop. Nor is a seat cover, which protects the upholstery, not the dog.

Related: our guide for senior dogs covers car ramps and a lifting harness for a dog that can no longer jump in, and our portable dog water bottle guide covers water breaks and the AVMA's warning never to leave a dog in a parked car.

Why most "crash tested" products are not

CPS's 2013 harness study tested harnesses whose makers claimed testing or crash protection. With the exception of the Sleepypod Clickit Utility, CPS found them "insufficient in design, materials and overall performance," and said it did not agree with those makers' crash-protection claims. Several allowed the test dog to launch off the seat.

Its 2015 carrier study drew a line worth keeping: many carriers offer "distraction prevention," which helps prevent accidents, but "proper pet passenger restraint is critical for successful crash protection."

Recalls

We found no CPSC recall of these crates or carriers in the CPSC recall database. Check any brand against FDA and CPSC pet recalls on our pet product recall page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "crash tested" mean on a dog car harness?

On a listing, it means the maker says it tested the product, by its own method. The Center for Pet Safety certifies products it has tested independently, and publishes the size, date and test dog weight for each on its site.

Can I clip my dog's harness to the cargo area?

CPS advises caution. Its cargo advisory says many cargo-area harness setups need an extension tether, which it does not recommend, and that the cargo platform may not be as solid as it looks. Ask your vehicle's maker about the platform's load capacity and whether anchor upgrades exist for your model.

What injuries do extension tethers cause?

CPS's extension tether advisory lists paralysis, blunt force trauma and spinal damage, plus orthopedic injuries such as ACL tears and hip trauma from a dog bracing to stay on the seat. It says it has received multiple reports of these injuries.

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PetProofLab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Certifications are from the Center for Pet Safety's site on September 28, 2026, and features are the makers' own.