Important Shipping Note: FREE shipping via UPS Ground within the U.S.

Every seventh traffic accident is a rear collision. The rear cargo area is part of the crumple zone that is designed to protect the occupants in collisions. A rear-end collision pushes in the car's rear end and items placed in the cargo area are pushed forward. If there is a dog crate in the cargo compartment, it will move forward toward the rear-seat backrest and it can be crushed depending on the vehicle, crate, and severity of impact. In severe collisions, it is also possible for the crate to break the backrest and subsequently injure a passenger. For more than 20 years, MIM has worked with functional designs of safety details in the vehicle industry and they have documentation from hundreds of crash tests. Using this information and their experience, MIM developed a vehicle dog crate following the major car manufacturers' use of crumple zones. Then they worked with Swedish government agencies to develop the Safe Pet Crate Test to test the safety of passengers and dogs in crates during a traffic accident.

MIM continues to improve their product and has now released the third generation Variocage, which has passed the crash tests (click on the Files tab on the left to see the report). In a rear-end collision the Variocage will be compressed in a controlled manner just as the crumple zones of the car function. This means that the rear-seat back will not be pushed forward by the crate and also that there is a limit to how much the crate can crumple inward on the dog. These features minimize the risk of damage to both passengers and dog.

Variocages are constructed of steel to meet the highest level of safety, and they are the only crates on the market that are built to meet the demands of a rear-end collision. They are flexible enough to absorb impact, but strong enough to retain their shape. Variocages are carefully crafted so that no feature on the crate can hurt the dog. In addition, they are designed with an escape door in the rear so that you can get your dog out of either side of the crate in the event of an accident. The cages are also absolutely silent—there's no rattling or other noises. All models are equipped with tie-down straps for securing to cargo anchor points, a rubber carpet, and safety locks (keys included). The quality of these crates is incredible; they are designed to last a lifetime.

Please note that the crates are shipped unassembled and do require assembly. A PDF with instructions is available on the Files tab on the left.

Available in three sizes; select the Sizing tab on the left for crate dimensions and weights and select the Files tab for information on measuring your vehicle so you can select the right crate. 

  Important Shipping Notes: Variocages are shipped directly from the distributor in Ohio via UPS. This item cannot be expedited or shipped by other carriers, and it cannot be shipped outside the U.S. Any other items you order will be shipped separately from the Clean Run offices. Please also note that this item is excluded from any storewide free shipping offers.