Early one morning in November 2013 I was in my Defender on my way to a shoot in Devon. In the back in a brand new TransK9 box were my four spaniels, two English springers, a cocker and a Clumber spaniel. On a remote road on Exmoor our journey came to an abrupt end when a big transit van driving very fast on the wrong side of the road hit my Defender almost head on.

The impact was shocking especially as there were no airbags in my Defender softening the blow. The driver of the other car was foreign and didn’t speak any English and even though he wasn’t physically hurt couldn’t really offer me any assistance. I knew I had hurt my neck quite badly and couldn’t move but I was more anxious to know my dogs were ok. Luckily a lady stopped and I asked her to check on my dogs before attending to me. She assured me that all four dogs were sitting up, alert but calm and looked absolutely fine.

The emergency services were called, paramedics took me to hospital and a friend of mine living near by was called to collect my dogs. My friend came to see me later on in A&E and reassured me that all four dogs were absolutely fine with not a scratch on them. They had been in the box with the divider in place, two dogs in each compartment.

I suffered severe whiplash and injuries to my jaw and teeth in the accident and the Defender was a total write off by the insurance. The TransK9 box showed hardly any damage. The doors were still shut when the first person on the scene checked on the dogs. All the rivets where still in place. But most importantly my dogs where unharmed.

I am absolutely convinced that the TransK9 box saved my dogs’ lives. I had only purchased it about three weeks prior to the accident and thanked my lucky stars that I had decided to replace an old dog crate which I had been using until then with a new TransK9 dog box.

Since the accident I have been recommending the TransK9 dog box to all of my friends.

I had a serious accident on ice two weeks ago, on a narrow lane on Exmoor at a place where water had drained across the road and frozen. I lost control of the back of my Isuzu double-cab, which bounced off both hedges and finished on its side. A total write-off.

My first thought was for my three working dogs in the back. The Truckman top had been smashed off in the first impact and the dog cage was then exposed and suffered some damage to a corner. But because it was strong and securely lashed down, the dogs were contained and safe. Although it was impossible to open the rear door of the Isuzu, it was possible to free the box and open the door whereupon the dogs came out unhurt.

I would like to thank you for the quality and design of your cage which undoubtedly saved my dogs from injury or worse. Had they been loose in the back, when the Truckman top was smashed, they’d have been thrown out into the road.

I have a number of friends who show or work their dogs, many with a Hi-Lux, an L1200 or a Navarra. In all cases their double-cabs have one of these flimsy and lightly-bolted fibreglass tops. I am advising them all that just as they would not carry children in a car without seat-belts, they need the safety of one of your cages to protect their valued dogs.

Whilst driving back from a shoot my vehicle, was involved in a road collision caused by the poor weather. My vehicle aqua planed causing it to collide with a tree and turn onto its roof. The car then rolled several times before becoming stationary on its side.

My two working English Spaniels were within a TransK9 box, which was fitted to the rear of my vehicle.

Whilst I had received whiplash, severe bruising to my ribs, collar bone and minor cuts and bruises, both dogs were unscathed and fortunately back working at the next shoot.

My vehicle was a complete insurance write off, whilst in contrast the TransK9 box had very little damage to it, both doors to the box remained secure ensuring both dogs were not thrown from my vehicle. None of the rivets that hold the TransK9 box together showed any sign of damage thus ensuring the box remained integral.

I know if both Charlie and Bell were not secured within the TransK9 box at the time of the collision they would have been seriously hurt, if not worse.

Thanks TransK9 for providing such a safe, secure and reliable product.