Green flag / mayday will not recover your pets

Molly, we found ourselves in a very difficult situation in Norfolk. Far too dangerous to leave dogs in MH on back of flat bed recovery, two sets of suspension bouncing around.

Doesn’t matter which rescue service you are with, they all sub contract to localised relay services, and 99.9% will not allow dogs into cab, there is no bargaining, I know I tried very very hard. The rescue companies just don’t want the hassle of having to accommodate dogs, no matter how well behaved or clean they are. We had to resort to a family member coming to collect me and dogs, while OH accompanied MH home. It’s just better to be aware and forewarned rather than find out should it happen.😁

Hi 

The situation I described has not been satisfactorily answered by anyone, if you breakdown on a motorway what are you expected to do with your pet if it is not allowed to be carried in the delivery vehicle or as it says in small print in the vehicle being recovered.

We take the dog with us because we have a caravan ..... we have a caravan so we take out dog with us ....

choose whichever version you like. Molly just does't want to be left with anyone when we go away ... trusted family member or not.

Not really sure where a dog's life is being gambled in any of the above ???

Thanks TDA

It can’t be answered here as no one can foresee the circumstances in which you might break down. All you can do is be aware of the difficulties and keep in mind the various alternatives such as public transport, hire car, collection by a friend and so on.

There is another recent thread somewhere where this has been discussed at some length.

That's not going to happen is it?  The Highways agency, the police or the breakdown truck will always get you and your dog off the motorway to a place of safety - probably a repair garage.

At that point decision making starts. Do you wait (at a campsite or a hotel) for the repair to be done, do you get a hire car to take your dog home, do you get a bus to tne nearest station and all go home on the train, or do you phone a friend or a family member to come and collect you? It all depends where you are. 

But I see that TW has just spelled all that out while I was typing!  

I am sure you will be escorted to a place of safety somehow, possibly dog in your vehicle for the short hop to nearest point motorway exit, after that the fun will start. Always have a Plan B if you have pets with you is my advice

Interesting this, been member of the AA since time imortal, not sure what their T&c's say and thankfully never had to call them whilst with dog, but i know they do not recover pets on the continent and that is one of the reasons we switched to RP because they do.

Check it out Rufs. RP is no different than any other provider. Ambiguous wording. The very most they might do will be stick mutt into vehicle being recovered, drive carefully off a motorway, and then ask you what you want to do before proceeding further. We watched our MH bouncing around even though secure on back of loader. If it isn’t safe for a human, it’s less safe for something that has no concept of what is going on.

Caravan isn’t so bad, possible to wait for rescue on a site, get another tow vehicle organised. MH, that won’t happen, it is the vehicle and the home. Always have a Plan B.🙂

Edit: our caution comes from our equine days. Nightmare scenario was a motorway breakdown, having to unload, keep safe and reload half a ton of frightened, misbehaving horse. Thankfully, it never happened to us, but we seldom used motorways, stuck the quieter routes. But we do know of others who had very very frightening experiences. It would require nerves of steel and a good few police nowadays.

thanks , you are probably right, with RP, but the AA was a def no go and also they did not accept caravans over 7m, another reason to move to RP, but as we will not be going to Spain any time soon, or anywhere else for the matter no problems....stay safe