There are not many days out on the road when you don’t spot a car with a Thule roof box, but not many people know the Swedish company is renowned for developing many other items, all of which build on its excellent reputation for safety.

For example, there are bike racks, roof rack systems, camping awnings, pushchairs, car seats, luggage items and now the company has branched out in a bid to protect our fury friends too.

That’s because Thule has developed a range of crates to safely transport a dog (or cat) in the back of a car and it will come as little surprise to learn it has been crash tested to the highest possible standard. In fact a Thule spokesman claimed it is “the safest dog crate on the market”.

Called the Thule Allax, the smartly designed crate withstood severe crash testing at the company’s world class in-house testing facility as Emma Kostolny, Global Product Manager, Active with Dogs category at Thule explained: “As safety is always our top priority, the Thule Allax dog crate has undergone rigorous testing to ensure we do everything we can for the protection of pets and passengers in a collision.

“The Thule Allax is crash tested in three ways, in a front collision, rear collision, and in a simulated roll-over scenario. A significant effort has been made to ensure there are no sharp edges during or after these scenarios, to protect the dog. Additionally, the crate is designed to avoid exerting excessive force on the seatback, safeguarding the passengers.”

The Thule Allax is available in 10 different sizes ranging from XS to XXL with prices starting from £489.99, so owners can find a model that is the perfect match for their dog ensuring there is enough room for it to stand up or turn around safely.

We were offered the chance to test out the Thule Allax and, after about an hour spent assembling the crate (credit to Thule for ensuring all the holes perfectly align), it was ready to position in the back of my Defender 90 hardtop with securing straps to prevent any movement. It is a heavy piece of kit, but once it is in the vehicle, that’s where it’s likely to stay so that’s not an issue.

The door to the crate can be locked for added security and there is also an escape door at the back so there is access to your pet in the event of a rear-end collision.

My cockapoo had never been inside a car crate before, but took to it like a duck to water! Initially I could hear him moving around a little, but after about five minutes, he settled down for a snooze.

I started off with a short trip so he could get accustomed to the crate, but the times have been increased gradually so he now feels very at home being transported by that method.

I should also mention the quality of the Thule Allax. Drawing on 60 years of experience of crash testing items for vehicles, this unit has been designed from long-lasting materials and it actually looks really good too. There is no rattling as you drive along and with your pet safely secured in the back, there is less driver distraction too.

Admittedly, The Thule Allax is not cheap, but what price do you put on your pet’s safety in the unfortunate event of a crash?

For further details about the Allax crates, their sizes and pricing visit Thule and look for the Dogs section in the menu.