Home > News > Honda’s April Fool gives ‘paws’ for thought – and sparks range of dog accessories

It started out as a dog-related April Fool by Honda, but the joke has now become solid fact.

Nearly five months ago on April 1, the Japanese firm tried to pull the wool – or should that be fur? – over people’s eyes with news of its Co-Pilot front passenger seat for pets.

The light-hearted item proved so popular, though, that it led to Honda speeding up its development of pet-related products.

It’s now brought out a ‘dog pack’ (no, not a pack of dogs) that dealers can upsell, which is intended to protect cars and keep dogs safe while they’re in them.

The accessories, which can also be retrofitted to some older models, comprise a dog guard, rubber mats, boot mats, foldable cargo mat, plus a boot step protector.

Available across the Civic petrol and hybrid, Jazz hybrid, HR-V hybrid and CR-V hybrid models, the pack contents vary slightly, depending on the car.

Rebecca Adamson, head of automobile for Honda UK, said: ‘Launching vehicle accessories for dogs is something that the Honda UK team has been discussing for quite a while.

‘But it was the success of the April Fool’s Day campaign that ultimately prompted us to develop this product pack, because it became so clear that customers wanted something special for their four-legged friends.

‘For many people, including me, dogs are so much more than a pet. They’re part of the family.

‘The dog accessory pack is designed to bring peace of mind when travelling, no matter how long or short the distance.

‘Not only will it help to keep your dog safe and secure while on the move, but it will also reduce the likelihood of interior damage.’

The AA’s head of roads policy, Jack Cousens, added: ‘When travelling with pets, it’s important to avoid any dangerous activity that could distract the driver and possibly cause an accident.

‘Loose or unrestrained pets can easily distract a driver by moving around the vehicle and getting in the way of the steering wheel and pedals.

‘And if you do have an accident, a pet running loose in the car is more likely to be badly injured, as well as being a danger to everyone else in the car.’

John has been with Car Dealer since 2013 after spending 25 years in the newspaper industry as a reporter then a sub-editor/assistant chief sub-editor on regional and national titles. John is chief sub-editor in the editorial department, working on Car Dealer, as well as handling social media.