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COSTA MESA, Calif. , May 14 /PRNewswire/ -- If your dog or cat feels like a family member, chances are you travel together in the car. "It's really best to leave animals at home, but when they do need to travel by car, it's important that they're properly restrained," said Mary Ann Karas , administrator at Angels for Animals, a Canfield, Ohio -based animal shelter that has adopted out over 12,000 spayed and neutered animals in its 18-year history. NADAguides.com, a vehicle pricing and buying guide website, recognizes that sometimes, pets just need to come along for the ride. As such, it offers important safety tips to keep your pet -- and the rest of your family -- safe on the road.

Secure small pets in a carrier.

Because cats are generally uncomfortable traveling by car, secure them -- and small dogs -- in a carrier with opaque sides, ventilation holes on all sides and plenty of room for sitting and standing.

"Secure a seat belt around the pet car carrier and through the handle of the carrier," said Tara Baukus Mello , senior writer and lead market analyst at NADAguides.com (http://www.NADAguides.com). "Or secure the carrier in the cargo area so it doesn't become a dangerous projectile, injuring human occupants or the animal, during an emergency driving maneuver."

Secure larger dogs with a restraining harness.

"Animals get thrown off balance easily as a vehicle corners or stops, which can cause them to fall when they are loose," said Karas, who personally owns five dogs. According to Baukus Mello, harnesses that buckle around the shoulders and chest of a medium or large breed dog offer a secure restraint while reducing the possibility of a neck injury or choking if the animal is restrained at the collar.

There are a variety of harnesses -- or pet seat belts -- on the market today perfect for larger dogs, including ones that work with a vehicle's seat belt (sometimes known as a dog car seat), and others designed for the cargo space of a minivan, SUV, wagon, or in a pickup truck bed.

"If you use a harness that works with a vehicle's seat belt, your dog needs to be able to sit still long enough to be strapped in and comfortable enough to sit the entire journey," said Baukus Mello.

Cargo hold harnesses use the ring located at the center of the dog's chest to hook to a short tether, which is connected to a tie-down ring in the cargo space. This type of dog car harness offers more freedom of movement than a seat-belt-type restraint, giving the dog the ability to stand, sit or lie down.