I always buckle in my dog to make sure she stays in the back seat. When I was very young our dog jumped out of a convertable at a stop light. We got him back, though.
New Fines In Place For Cats And Dogs That Don’t Buckle Up In NewJersey
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Click it or ticket. It’s not just for people anymore — at least in the Garden State.
Police and animal control officers are authorized to cite drivers with unrestrained animals in the car. Yes, that includes the back of a pickup truck too. Violators can be fined $250 to $1,000 per offense.
Ray Martinez, head of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, just wants to avoid distracted driving.
“People actually driving with a dog or a cat on their laps. It’s not cute. It’s actually dangerous for the driver. It’s dangerous for other drivers and it’s dangerous for that pet.”
Dogs can be placed in harnesses that click right into the seat belt buckle. Cats don’t take well to harnesses for the most part, so they need to go in a carrier. And the carrier needs to be buckled down.
-- Edited by Evil Stepmother on Tuesday 5th of June 2012 11:23:43 AM
They would be trained to stay where they are told, but still could fly out if the car was in an accident.
If wearing a harness would impede their ability to do their jobs, then they should be exempt from the law. The seatbelt should not be attached to a neck collar.
Every time I transport my cat without her carrier I feel guilty but I just can not handle her crying if I put her in the carrier. She typically stays in the back seat and when she starts to roam I pull over and give her some attention. I do drive more defensively when I have her in the car with me.
The carriers need to be buckled down? Do they make carriers specifically for buckling into a car? What about for the really large crates that can't fit in a seat - guess you'd have to find a way to tie it to the car/truck to be immobile?
My dog rides in the back of my SUV in his kennel. It is secured by straps so it doesn't move. He doesn't mind it now but used to whine in the beginning when he was a pup in training. I didn't care. Just like I wouldn't remove a child from their car seat for crying that they don't want in it. Safety first!
