Ferplast Borsello Pet Carrier > Reviews (1)

Just a little under five years ago, I travelled down to Gosport to pick up my new rescue puppy, Moses, whose mother; a Collie X was rescued, along with her seven gorgeous puppies.

Anyone having read my Trixie car-harness for dogs will know that I am ever conscious of the risks of carrying an animal in a car without securing it on the seat, in such a way that comfort is not compromised, yet that oh-so- precious cargo cannot be thrown or injured if the car were to brake suddenly.

Moses was ten weeks old and it was mid December, far too cold, to take a puppy from its warm secure bed and drive for two and a half hours in a car cabin, although not cold, less warm than his usual surrounds.
So, a couple of weeks before I was due to travel to Gosport to pick up my bundle of fun, and with this in mind, I went down to my local pet shop to find out what sort of carriers were available that would tick the boxes for safety and comfort.

Fortunately, our little pet shop stocks a good variety of pet products; among these were several types of pet carriers, but the one that caught my eye and met the essential criteria I had in mind, was the Ferplast Borsello pet carrier.
Although not specifically designed for safety in cars, I could see a way to secure it to the seat with the seat belt.
Safety harnesses were far too large for a small puppy, so I did not even consider that option.

The Ferplast Borsello Pet carrier

This generously padded carrier, shaped rather like a boat with a small section removed from the top of the 'stern' end, was the only one in stock. They apparently come in three sizes; the one in stock was the larger size and probably a tad too large for a puppy, but not an insurmountable problem.

The Borsello base measures 43cm x 27cm with a depth of 28cm. The inside is lined with a mid-blue, light-denim material, whilst the outside, lined with a dark blue, silky, soft nylon material. Between the two linings was a lovely thick padding of foam. A removable, washable, padded cushion lined the base.

The scooped out section allows the animal to see out of the carrier whilst sitting inside.
Sewn on the inside, about 10cms from the front is a short piece of strong elastic, to which is attached a clip for attaching to the dog collar or harness, to prevent the dog leaving the carrier - prematurely.

At each side is a small, elasticated pocket. On the top, is a long, full-length zip, stretching from 'bow' to 'stern' which when closed, and with a little bit of imagination, resembles the outline of a little boat - sideways on.

Strong carrying handles, stitched firmly to the carrier, stretch from the base. The length of the two handles from the top of the carrier measures about 34cms, plenty long enough to be able to carry it on the shoulder, like a shoulder bag, but, for people with narrow or sloping shoulders, this is not a comfortable way to transport the bag, for the person carrying it or the animal inside.
The straps are too short and narrow to fit over the head and across the body and too long to carry the animal without considerable discomfort, in the Maggie-Thatcher handbag style either.

This size of carrier is ideal for young medium sized dogs, such as Jack Russell terriers, Westies, Cairn terriers and small poodles. Although, having said that, I would not want to carry anything heavier than 6kilos very far, and of course, with an extra cushion it is still ideal for carrying small puppies or possibly cats, as long as they are harnessed and secured by the clip.

Moses and his Ferplast Borsello carrier

Before I set out on my journey to fetch Moses, I padded the floor of the carrier with a cushion, made especially to fit inside, in order to elevate him so that he could see out the front end. Under this, a small hot water bottle to warm the cushion and a fleece doggie blanket in readiness for him.
Already in my possession, I had a tiny, but ordinary, puppy harness, which would fit Moses.

Previously I had left a cuddly toy with my scent on it for him on my first visit. The idea being to bring home the scent of his home, mingled with the scent of my home to ease him into his new abode with the minimum of stress.

So with a large bag of Maltesers, a flask of coffee, a tank full of fuel and my Borsello carrier, I set off, excited as a child at Christmas, to adopt and collect my lovely new ward. The journey seemed endless.

On arrival, the foster carer made a nice cup of coffee and refilled the hot-water bottle whilst Moses and I became reacquainted. After all the necessary paperwork and pleasantries completed, I lowered Moses into the pre-warmed carrier, along with his cuddly toy. The toy was almost the same size as Moses. Then clipped his harness to the carrier, bade farewell to the last remaining pup, his mum and his foster carer and then placed my precious load onto the front seat with his head facing me. I looped the passenger seat belt through the handles and secured it to the socket and off we went.

After a few minutes, Moses was fast asleep and remained so for the best part of the journey home, when he woke, he was happy to remain in the carrier, gazing out at his new 'mum.'

When we arrived home, I left the carrier on the floor, and to my amazement, rather than curl up in his new bed I had bought him, he would leap into his carrier and fall asleep. This carried on for a few weeks until he became too big to be able to lie down in it, he then decided it made a better toy than bed and began attacking it in puppy-like fashion, dragging it around the room and trying to shake the living daylights out of it.

Having quickly rescued it from being reduced to its component parts, I have since used the Borsello carrier on several occasions to transport my little Yorkie Mollie to the vets, but found the handles either slipped off my shoulders or made my arms ache. For me, the straps needed to be a little wider, longer, and perhaps adjustable, to suit all users. I still have the carrier. It was well worth the expense, I paid around £25 for it five years ago. It is still in perfect condition, despite the efforts of a puppy to dismantle it
Pet Planet stock and sell them for £29.99.

Summary
This carrier ticked all the boxes for safety and comfort for my puppy's transportation in the car, to his new home.

Originally posted on Dooyoo under name of goosey