USER AGREEMENT

Bark Belt Terms and Conditions of Use

Effective Date: 1 January 2024
 Product: Bark Belt canine seat belt tether
 Company: Bark Belt LLC

By purchasing, installing, or using the Bark Belt product, you agree to the following Terms and Conditions of Use.

 

 

1. Intended Use and Required Safety Practices

The Bark Belt is a vehicle restraint intended to reduce a dog’s movement inside a passenger vehicle, reduce driver distraction, and manage the dog’s motion during routine travel, sudden braking, and low speed incidents. The product cannot eliminate all risk of injury and is not designed to make all crash scenarios survivable.

The Bark Belt must be used only as directed

  • Use only in the back seat of the vehicle. Deployment of a front passenger airbag can cause serious injury or death to a tethered animal.

  • Attach only to a sturdy, crash tested harness designed for single point usage.

  • Do not attach the Bark Belt to a collar, slip lead, prong collar, head halter, or any neck based restraint.

  • Do not tether more than one dog to a single Bark Belt.

  • Do not modify, alter, or combine the product with non compatible components or hardware.

The user is responsible for confirming that vehicle anchor points and buckles are secure and functioning properly before each use.

 

 

2. Limitations of Use

The Bark Belt is designed for everyday driving and low severity incidents in which controlling a dog’s forward motion can reduce risk to both the animal and vehicle occupants. The restraint is built to tolerate substantial loads, but its primary function is to manage movement in these common conditions, not to render high severity crashes safe for the dog.

Frontal crash testing and published crash data show that high speed frontal impacts and similar severe events can apply forces to a dog that exceed normal biological tolerances even when the restraint, hardware, and harness remain intact. For this reason, these events are outside the intended use of the product.

The Bark Belt is not intended or rated for the following scenarios

  • High speed or head on collisions

  • Vehicle rollovers

  • Crashes involving intrusion into the passenger compartment

Severe crash conditions can subject a dog to loads that exceed what an animal’s body can safely absorb, independent of the strength of the tether, carabiner, or harness. No consumer pet restraint including crates or harness based systems can guarantee survival or prevent injury under such conditions.

The Bark Belt limits forward movement but cannot prevent all contact with seats, doors, or other interior surfaces during a crash and cannot protect an animal if the vehicle structure is crushed or otherwise compromised.

 

 

3. Assumption of Risk

By using the Bark Belt, the user acknowledges and accepts that

  • Transporting a dog in a vehicle involves inherent risk.

  • Injury to the dog or vehicle occupants may occur despite proper installation and correct use of the product

  • Allowing controlled movement may result in contact with seats or passengers in some crash conditions.

  • The performance of the Bark Belt depends on the integrity and proper fit of the harness and the vehicle anchor point.

  • The user assumes all risk associated with vehicle travel with their dog.

The user must inspect the Bark Belt, carabiner, and the dog’s harness before each use and discontinue use if any wear, damage, deformation, chewing, or malfunction is observed.

 

 

4. Inspection and Maintenance

The user agrees to

  • Inspect the Bark Belt, carabiner, and harness before each use.

  • Stop using the product immediately if any fraying, tearing, corrosion, deformation, chewing damage, or malfunction is observed.

  • Replace damaged components before future use.

Routine wear and tear is normal and is not covered under warranty unless otherwise stated.

 

 

5. Proper Installation

The user is responsible for

  • Ensuring correct installation according to Bark Belt instructions, written or video.

  • Ensuring the seat belt pathway, anchor point, and retractors are unobstructed and functioning normally.

  • Adjusting the length to balance comfort and restraint for the dog.

Improper installation voids any implied warranty.

 

 

6. No Medical or Safety Guarantee

Bark Belt LLC does not claim

  • To eliminate injury risk

  • To prevent injury or death in all crashes

  • To substitute for veterinary or engineering advice

  • To function as a medical safety device

Performance varies depending on vehicle type, crash dynamics, harness quality, dog size, and dog behavior.

 

 

7. Warranty and Liability

The Bark Belt is warranted against manufacturing defects for 24 months from the date of purchase.

This warranty does not cover

  • Damage from chewing

  • Failure caused by incompatible harnesses

  • Misuse

  • Modification of the product
    Normal wear and tear

To the maximum extent permitted by law

  • Bark Belt LLC is not liable for injury, death, property damage, or consequential damages resulting from use or misuse of the product.

  • The user agrees to hold Bark Belt LLC harmless for all risks associated with vehicle travel with a dog.

 

 

8. Returns and Exchanges

Returns are accepted according to the published Return Policy. Products showing significant wear, damage, or misuse may not qualify.

 

 

9. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to conflict of law principles.

 

 

10. Updates to These Terms

Bark Belt LLC may update these Terms and Conditions at any time. Continued use of the product constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.