Yes. Everyone who is on a boat should have a life jacket and wear it at all times. Drowning is the biggest cause of death during boating accidents and 80% of these deaths show that the victim was not wearing a life jacket at the time of death. Indeed, many who drowned were in fact fully able to swim- but the currents and waves of water have proven to be too strong for them to successfully recover from their accident.
In regard to dogs, it’s not hard to see why a dog may get over-excited and jump into the water, especially if your dog is fond of water-based activities. They may see a duck and their instinct kick in, or they may simply be trying to have fun. No matter the reason, they are more likely to fall overboard when boating and having a dog life jacket on can mean the difference between getting them back to safety in no time or, sadly, dying.