Six-month-old puppy escapes with life after jumping out of moving car on 101 Freeway
Shocking video out of Woodland Hills shows a six-month-old puppy jumping out of a moving vehicle on the 101 Freeway, narrowly avoiding oncoming traffic in late 2022.
At first glance, the situation seems dire for the puppy as a semi truck and several other vehicles close in just seconds after the dog slammed onto the freeway, but somehow, Sophie made it out alive.
"I'll be honest, I think someone farted in the car, I don't know if it was the dog or someone, but we rolled down the window and she was just poking her out, smelling just like every dog," said Ryan Cramer, who was driving when Sophie leapt into oncoming traffic. "She literally just fired out of the car."
The video, captured by his Tesla, is quite disturbing, as it shows Sophie's impact on the road before she tumbles several times as a big rig closes in on where she came to a stop. The truck driver was able to slow down enough that the dog made it off the road, where she was picked up by the driver of the car behind Cramer.
"I see her on the side and fortunately a gentleman behind me had stopped also," Cramer said.
They took her to the veterinarian following the incident, and while she did suffer a fractured hip, she escaped without any other injuries and eight weeks of recovery later she seems to be thriving as any puppy would.
"She has no internal bleeding. She has no broken ribs."
While the Cramer family was initially fostering Sophie to assist with overcrowding at local shelters, they decided that their connection through the wild event was enough for them to bring her home for good.
"I've been begging for a puppy. That was my dream come true," said one of Cramer's three daughters.
Cramer has one bit of advice for other dog owners: make sure your dog is secure before opening any windows or doors, because you truly never know what might happen.
Days after the video first made its way to the internet, the conversation continues, with many just glad that the puppy is okay. However, it has also sparked an interesting debate, with many now questioning safety measures when it comes to traveling with pets.
For the Cramer family, they make sure Sophie is secured before they take off, and they no longer roll any windows down in the car.
"It's been interesting feedback from other dog owners and they've been sharing stories with me," Cramer said. "People say like, 'Keep them on the leash.' But then I've had a couple of people reach out and say, "No that's not good, I've had my dog get choked.'"
Sophie's adventure is a good reminder to many that you never really know what's going through your pet's mind, and what could cause their instincts to go off.
"You think you know your dog, and no one ever expects their animal to leap out the car like this," Cramer said. "You never know hw they're gonna react based on all these outside circumstances."
Officially, there are no guidelines for whether or not a dog needs to be tethered down while driving as humans are with seatbelts, but California Highway Patrol advises that pet owners take extra measures to ensure their safety.
"Who's to say that that animal, even at a stop sign, is not gonna lunge out after a bird or another animal," said CHP Officer Christian Baldonado. "Think of the pet as one of your kids, cause sometimes it could be. Would you have your kid ride in your car un-seatbelted?"
Sarah Katz, with Village Pet Supply, has a variety of tips to help your pet travel with a combination of safety and style.
"Dogs are going more places with us now, dogs are more a part of our family, so it's something people are starting to think about," she said, demonstrating how one harness works with the seatbelt to tighten if necessary.
