I don’t usually do product reviews. They tend to involve food that Frankie can’t eat, because he’s diabetic, and toys that Frankie won’t play with because… well, he’s part terrier. Ask him why he’s a refusenik.

But when I was approached to try the Mommy Bus, I was at first confused — was I being mistaken for a mommy blogger? — and then, after checking out the product, charmed.

In case the picture doesn’t make it obvious, the Mommy Bus is a pet carrier in the shape of a passenger vehicle. The side pockets and the wheels are both zip compartments. The side and front windows are mesh that your pet can breathe through.

Note that I use the word “pet” instead of dog because it’s the perfect size for a cat and, in one picture, the website shows a cat inside. I do wonder how the mesh would hold up to cat claws.

But what finally convinced me that I needed a Mommy Bus for Frankie was the video.

The song was really catchy.ย  The dogs were adorable. The women — mother and daughter? — and pups all looked like they were having a blast.

And best of all, the video promotes car safety. The Mommy Bus was placed in the back of the car and secured with a seatbelt every time.

I was sold.

I told the Mommy Bus folks that I would try it on Frankie and if he didn’t like it, I would give it away in a contest.

It arrived yesterday.

Frankie investigates the intruder

I couldn’t bring myself to unwrap it.

For one thing, the wrapping was so gorgeous I knew I couldn’t replicate it. For another, I knew in my heart of hearts that Frankie is as much ofย  a Mommy Bus dog as I’m a Mommy Bus mommy. As in not at all. Frankie doesn’t enjoy being carried around, and while I would love to be a clean car-well-dressed-shopping-and-dog-toting-person, I’m just not.

Are you sure you don’t want me to ride in it?

When they make a carrier in the shape of an old VW van and have a line of elastic waist clothing to go with it, I’m there.

So reluctantly but realistically I’m giving it away, in pristine condition. I haven’t tested it for functionality but I can vouch for its adorableness. It’ll make someone with a small (less than 15 pounds) dog or cat a great Christmas gift (it’s too late for Hanukkah, sorry, plus there’s that red and green ribbon…).

But I’m serious about car safety. No one wins a carrier without promising to secure it in the back seat of their car — or, if it’s a gift, telling the recipient to do so.ย  Before you enter this contest, then, read Friday Focus: Five Car Safety Tips. I’ll know if you just pretended. I have my ways.

Then come back to this post and comment below why your pet — or the gift’s proposed recipient — deserves to travel safely in the Mommy Bus.

That’s it. The winner will be chosen by the magic Random.org machine.

I’m afraid this contest is restricted to entries in the United States, because I’m paying postage and it’s not a light item.

The contest starts today, December 2, at 6:30 AM Mountain Time and ends Monday, Dec. 6 at 11:59pm MT. I’ll announce the winner, who has two days to claim it, on Tuesday.

90 thoughts on “Contest: Win the world’s cutest pet carrier!”

  1. 1. OMG. Our cat Jed NEEDS this. He sleeps in his carrier (top open) every night. This would make the perfect cat bed to be used daily!

    And, in the case of vet visits, it may offer more comfort than we’ve experienced previously. When we rushed Jed in for possible emergency surgery just before Thanksgiving, he was so unhappy to be closed in his carrier that he rolled it down the hall one side at a time – from the inside – sick and all. The added height of the bus may ease his claustrophobia a bit and the wheels may make it less easily tipped. If not, at least it will offer his momma a distraction from her panicked hysteria, allowing her to laugh as the vet staff crowd around the spectacle of her cat rolling a bus.

    And yes, we promise to strap him in for transit. We already do so. If we didn’t, he’d roll all over the car like a hamster in one of those plastic running balls.

    Thanks for the great give-away, Edie! Good luck, everybody!

  2. 2. On Sunday I’m picking up a 2 yo Maltese doggie who I will foster for at least 2 months. Her owner needs to do some intense therapy and he cannot care for the dog during this time. She is a sweet dog but has never really been cared for properly. Her new life should begin with her learning how to be safe in the car.

    Also, I write a monthly column for a women’s magazine in Louisville, and I can further promote pet car safety by including a picture of this Mommy Bus and info on how to get one.

  3. Okay that video was as adorable as the carrier and made me smile! Someone would really love this! Unfortunately, none of my dogs go anywhere in a carrier so it would be wasted on me. I do like the safety factor too. Good luck to all of you that are trying to win!

  4. 5. Julienne says she would like the Mommy bus, and that Julienne deserves it because she is Julienne. Plus, Julienne has to have a tooth pulled -owie-and she says it would be so much more fun if she could arrive at the vet IN STYLE! and safely too! – nice to know there’s a random machine too.

  5. 6. Bella loves to travel by car . . . I can’t imagine how happy she would be if she had her own
    “bus” to drive. I’ll be sure to set down the safety limits with her, so she is safe while driving.
    1. No paw prints on the i-phone while driving (no texting)
    2. No furry friends allowed in the “mommy bus”, you must stay focused on the road
    3. You may not play your doggy tunes on the ipod while driving
    4. No exceeding the speed limits no matter how many rabbits or squirrels you see alongside the road
    5. You may only hang your head out the window when the “mommy bus” is not moving
    6. No greenies or bully sticks while driving
    and most important . . .
    7. You must be a “back seat driver” and wear your doggie restraint belt at all times. ( you are
    loved and we want you to always be safe.

  6. 7. I love your comment about the V.W. van. I can see a whole line of custom car replicas for our pets. When they come up with an Austin Healey bag in Healey Blue I’m there!

    I personally would not use the bag, but it would make a wonderful donation to my new favorite charity – Yorkie Haven Rescue. The proceeds could help pay the cost of medical care for a special needs little dog.

    1. Meant to add that we have pet seats installed in all the cars so no matter the circumstances, my little Yorkie will travel safely. We also keep a bag in each car with some food, bottles of water, blanket, and first aid supplies. For the dog, not for us. We may starve or freeze in an emergency, but Tallulah will be taken care of.

  7. 8. You know I can see why you offered to run a contest at your own postage expense on this item – it is really a fun idea combined with the safety factor of attaching to the seatbelt! The video is funny, and the look on Frankie’s face is so “what am I supposed to do with this and has it moved in?” This is great for all those who have their pups share ride-a-longs, and especially for those who always wanted to, but didn’t want to leave the dog in the car during errands. Hmmm….hard for a store to object if the dog/cat is tucked inside, eh? But there I go, starting trouble again;-D

    1. I couldn’t tell whether this was an official contest entry for Tashi but I decided that, rather than mess up the numbering, if you didn’t want it, you could donate it to a rescue group that caters to small dogs (see #7).

      1. I was thinking if the random magic number machine picked my comment, it would make an excellent silent auction item to raise funds for Lake Shore at the Dec 18 event:))) And what a fun promo photo!

  8. 9. OMG!!! I would love to win this! I have four (yes, four) yorkies. I own a booster seat now for the 1 year old boys, because like you said, they LOVED to drive on my lap–Waaay too dangerous. My girls always are good in the car. I usually just let them sit in the seat with a bed. However, I have been looking on ebay to get them a booster as well. Yes, they became jealous of the boys “special” seat! Let alone the safety issues!
    This is by far the absolute cutest carrier/safety device I have ever seen!!!! I know it would give my “skin kids” yet another reason to refer to me as , “The crazy dog lady”. Oh well! I’d LOVE to have it just the same!!!

  9. 10. I want to take my dog, Lola, on car rides with me but I don’t yet have a way for her to travel safely. Because of this, she doesn’t get to go anywhere but the backyard (safety first!). She wants to win the Mommy Bus carrier so she can start coming with me on short trips!

    I also have two cats who, when traveling to the vet, are confined to a cardboard box. They’d love a more comfortable ride!

  10. 11. I’d like to enter my 2 little girls in the Mommy Bus contest . I have two special needs 4 1/2 lb. yorkie sisters of which one is blind from PRA and the other has one eye due to Glaucoma. They now sleep in a pet taxi carrier together. They would fit perfect in the Mommy Bus. Its so hard to carry the both of them at the same time altho they are in balance in each of my arms.

  11. 12. I would like to win the ‘Mommy Bus” for my daugher Stefany & her newley adopted Pappion BARBIE!It was love at 1st sight when I found a picture of her on a shelter web site & showed it to Stef!!Barbie was in my daughters arms within 2 hours & forever in her heart!They go everywhere together,the Doggie Beach& any resturant that is Dog friendly!Barbie gets along well with her other furry friends~Ferrets~they play Hide & Seek daily!The Ferrets are also rescues!I’m very proud that now that Stef has her own place she has continued to keep up the family tradition of adopting shelter pets!!

  12. 13. My puppy would LOVE this! She is a being carried around, running errands with mommy puppy. She has a carrier, but it’s a bit bigger than this and she is going on her first plane ride this month and this will be the PERFECT carrier for it as mine is too big and really don’t have the money to buy an expensive airline carrier. It will get you free advertisement at the airport ๐Ÿ˜‰

  13. 14. This is absolutely the cutest carrier I’ve ever seen. Since it’s far to small for Buster and Ty, if I win I will definitely find a happy home for it! I love the the video shows the carrier being secured in the car – you know how strongly we feel about vehicle safety.

  14. 15. Dink and Taz would love to take turns riding in the mommy bus. Dink is my terrier cross rescued from Weld County Humane society, she is 11 lbs no matter what i do i cannot but weight on her. Taz on the other hand is also from Weld County Humane society, is part pomerian and is hard to keep at a good weight. These are my little pound puppies who love to ride in the care but do not get to much because of no mommy bus to ride in.

  15. 16. My little guy would love this. He’s a 4 lb chihuahua, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but it feels like a lot when I have to carry him around all day. He comes everywhere with me and looks at me like I’m crazy if I expect him to walk or sit on the *gasp* floor.

  16. well there you go…another contest we can’t enter just because we live at the bottom of the world and because georgia may be a little too heavy at 43kgs.

    and we’ve read 5 car safety tips at least 5 times, forwarded it to other people and even posted about it!

    the carrier is VERY cute. please let me know when they make it double decker size.

    have a great weekend, ms jarolim ๐Ÿ™‚ xox

  17. 17. I have a little blind shih tzu that has to be in a carrier while in the car. This would be perfect for her!! Very cute ride although I love your vw carrier thought.

  18. 18. My little yorkie girl, Sakura, could really use something like this! I have a great boss who lets me bring my girl to work everyday. I have been wanting to get her a car safe carrier the only problem is I don’t have my own car and I have someone who drops us off at work on her way to work and someone else picks us up at the end of the day. And the Mommy Bus would be perfect to put Sakura in and keep her safe! Thanks!

  19. 19. That truly is the cutest little carrier around! I like the way it secures in the backseat with the use of the seatbelt. And I like the fact that a little Yorkie could have their little head out the front, to enjoy the socialization with people when we are out and about running errands. She will be 13 years old on 12/27. This would make an exciting birthday present!My tiny 4# Kia would definitely love it!

  20. 20. Thanks for making it a rule to read the other thread first. Now I have a reference for why I think it’s a bad idea for my dog’s car seat to be in the front passenger seat. #5 is going to be an eyeopener to a few of my friends.

    Anyway, I would like to win this for a friend. She’s a first time small dog owner and is seeking me for advice on all things “little dog.” I’m already making her a K-9 first aid kit for Christmas and I’d love to have this for her as well. ๐Ÿ™‚

  21. 21. Lil’ bit, is Brand new to our family, So she doesn’t have a carrier yet, our other two cats Loki, who is around 4 years and Boots who is older than him Both have their own and they don’t like to share. I’d like to give this to Lil’ bit show that she too can have her own carrier for Christmas.

  22. 22. Hi…Zack & Zoey, our 4lb yorkies would love to have this as their safety seat in our truck….especially since we will be traveling from Louisiana to Chicago for Christmas. Have the bus would be AWESOME! I would see it as a great birthday gift for ME!! Christmas Day is my 45th birthday!

  23. Usually I read your whole post avidly, as no one can spin a tale as you can, but when I saw the photos of Frankie with the Gimmick, I almost passed out. HOW CUTE and HOW FRANKIE (and Archie)!!! Edie, you outdo yourself.

  24. LOL! I laughed at the commercial. Catchy tune!
    I would enter the contest, but I don’t think Daisy (my Lab) or Jasper (my Sheltie) would fit!

  25. 23. I have 3 small furbabies. A yorkie (Gypsy), a lh chihuahua (puff) and a pom (seymour). I would love to have one of these. Any of my babies would love to ride in it. I can just see them with me in my Jeep wrangler. Right now I have only one carrier so we take turns taking them out with us. I am so afraid of something happening to them. I am a nervous mom and this would be so helpful to us.

  26. 24. This looks like a wonderful pet carrier. I’d love to have it for my little Biewer “gio” who loves to ride on my lap in our car. No more. Thanks for the information

  27. 27. I fell in love with the Mommy Bus when I first saw it. I would love to have it for any of my 4 babies, but especially for Nikki. Nikki is the elderly male I took in after his owner had a stroke. I would take Nikki out to see his owner until her recent passing every other week. Nikki was a rescue so we don’t know anything about his first 12-13 years. He loves to ride in the car but doesn’t like the carrier I have but I know he would love to go in style in the Mommy Bus. It has such a great look and safety features.

  28. 28. Oh my gosh how cute!! My little Rosie is a Dachshund so her back needs to be preserved. This would help us keep her safe.
    Thanks for the chance.

  29. 29. This would be prefect for my cat who needs a safe ride when going to the vets. She is such a curious cat but very scared in car rides so would love something comfortable and safe to get her to her appointments.

  30. 30. I’d like to win this pet carrier for my cat- I don’t think my dog would fit it in, unfortunately. My current cat carrier is pretty ugly, so this would be a nice upgrade. I promise I would secure it properly!

    jdawson02 at gmail dot com

  31. 31. I love the video! The song is oddly catchy too. ๐Ÿ™‚ My yorkies would love to have the Mommy Bus! One of my girl is a puppymill rescue and sometimes when she is “spooked” the quickest way to calm her down is to put her in a carrier where she can always have her eyes on us. Something about the enclosed space (moreso than a crate or our lap) really seems to soothe her. And, don’t worry, my girls are always buckled in in the car…they have car harnesses that attach to a tether strap in their carseat. The harnesses are great for traveling too since they can be used alone with a seatbelt in a rental car.

  32. 32. My cat Sissy and Yorkie baby Lexi both deserve to travel safely in the Mommy Bus, because they are just as important as my four skin kids. Family and friends already call my van a bus, might as well let my fur kids ride along in a mommy bus. It’s very fitting. They also deserve to travel safely buckled up in the mommy bus because they deserve to travel in style and be comfortable too! Great product, thank you for the chance to win something so kewl!

  33. 33. Always looking for the best/most convenient way to travel with my Yorkie. Looks to be quite practical as well as cute.

  34. 34. I just got 2 rescues added to my group. One of the rescues, the smallest, Bridget is very timid. This carrier would be perfect for her. I have carriers for all the others including Brie, the other new one who is acclimating quickly. Bridget would love to have a special, “”leave me alone”” place when we travel. Everybody gets strapped in the back of the SUV. She just threw me a telepathic random thought, she knows you want her to have it.. she is sooo smart.

  35. 35. This is too cut! It woud be the perfect thing for my Daisy. She is welll behaved in the car but just today I had to make a sudden stop an she almost fell in the floor. She is a yorkie and the seat belt harness doesn’t work very well for us. I really like the way the mommy bus straps in like a baby seat. PS: the tip about not having the pups in the front seat with an air bag was a good on. I had never considered the dangers of it. Thanks for the great info.

  36. 36. My little 8-mo old Chi mix Molly would love to cruise around in this. She always travels buckled in the back seat. Thanks for the contest!

  37. 37. Caoimhe would love to take a ride in the mommy bus. We would love to sport this as we go to the pet store or just out and about. I have to say that this is super cute and we would love to win it. Thanks for the opportunity. ๐Ÿ™‚

  38. 38. My cat Spooky really could use this as an upgrade from the cardboard pet carrier that she has to travel in now! And, she’s be safely buckled into the car! Perfect!

  39. 40. This would be the perfect carrier for my Yorkshire Terrier! She loves going bye-bye with Mommy and I’m always trying to find the safest, most comfortable carrier out there for her to use/travel in and the Mommy bus looks like it would be perfect! I really appreciate your and the makes of the Mommy bus emphasis on car safety with animals! So many people think it’s ok to let their dogs ride on their laps or be loose in the car while they are driving and it’s NOT! People who love their dogs should do everything in their power to keep them safe! When we take trips Lucy is ALWAYS in her crate or carrier and in the back of the car and buckled in! Thanks for reminding others out there how important safety for our pets is!

    1. Thanks very much for dropping by and for your nice words about my blog. If you have some smaller friends who need a gift, you’re very welcome to enter the contest.

  40. 41. omg my dog would love this to death she loves the 2 small purse i got her when she was a puppy so she would love this to death the fact that she can sit and ride in it all the time

  41. Hi Y’all!

    Just hopped by to see what y’all are doin’.

    So cute! I won’t show it to my Human Momma or she might think about trading me in on a little doggy…you see I weigh 100 lbs. VBG .

    Actually, she’ll never trade me in…she needs me. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Y’all come by now,
    Hawk aka BrownDog

    1. Hey Hawk — nice to see you again. I’m sure you would never be traded in for a smaller model. If you have any little friends, feel free to enter the contest to get a gift for them.

  42. 42. My pet, who is also a little (10 lb.) white dog named Frankie, deserves to ride in the bus because he travels with me almost everywhere and needs to be safer in transport. I was just thinking about this the other day when I took him to the vet. It would also be good transport for the one declawed cat we have (the other two have claws and I agree, I don’t think the mesh would stand up very well to claws).

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