Illegal To Have Dog Just Sitting In Car ?

[Julie D]

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one of my colleagues said today that it's illegal to have your dog 'loose' in the car and by law it's meant to be in a seatbelt harness

is this correct ??

used to always use Ella's harness but since she travels everywhere in OH's lorry every day, without a harness, stopped putting it on in the car.

 

[buffyrannoch]

Thats news to me, I know its illegal to have them on your lap when your driving, as a friend of mine got into loads of trouble with her toy poodle on her lap, but mine all travel 'loose' in the car.

 

[Myfairlady]

I think it might be in some parts of America (particularly where people have a tendency to drive pick ups and just leave the dog in the back). I don't think its illegal here but for their safety and yours its probably better to harness them if you can, particularly if they are small.

 

[Janimal]

If it isnt already it certainly should be Illegal.

A dog loose in a car is a potential hazard...if you break suddenly the dog would fly off the seat

and not only probably be killed, but could certainly kill the driver or passenger in the front too. (ie meaning in a car)

Theres lots of dangers...the windscreen for one...should you have to break suddenly..

dosnt bear thinking about.

Dogs in my opinion should be secured...or in a dog cage ....or safely behind a dog bar.

Certainly not loose in a seat.

 

[Julie D]

that's what I thought, when I expressed concern to OH about Ella travelling loose on the cabin bed behind him in the wagon, that if he's in a crash she'll fly thru' windscreen his reply was....'and what about me if i'm in a crash ?' (w00t)

(now there are seatbelts in all wagons but there never used to be, like delivery vans and taxis they were allowed off the seatbelt rule at one time due to it being 'inconvenient' for multi drops (w00t)

however the 100 yr old law that says a wagon driver can urinate against his front wheel while on duty still remains as far as I know (not that OH does THAT!!!)

 

[dolly]

I think the law says a dog has to be restrained and not causing a nusisance !!!

 

[urchin]

I think the law says a dog has to be restrained and not causing a nusisance !!!

Oh bugger! that's Bloggs grounded for life then :lol:

 

[bluesky]

Im sure thats right your dog has to be restrained by a seat belt or in a cage etc. :thumbsup:

 

[~Annie~]

that's what I thought, when I expressed concern to OH about Ella travelling loose on the cabin bed behind him in the wagon, that if he's in a crash she'll fly thru' windscreen his reply was....'and what about me if i'm in a crash ?' (w00t) ...

The scary part, not that I want to frighten you or anything, is when he's in a crash and the unsecured whippet, still doing maybe 30 miles an hour or more, hits him from behind ... folk have been killed being clobbered in the back of the head by unsecured rearseat passengers.

Annie

 

[~Annie~]

one of my colleagues said today that it's illegal to have your dog 'loose' in the car and by law it's meant to be in a seatbelt harness
is this correct ??

used to always use Ella's harness but since she travels everywhere in OH's lorry every day, without a harness, stopped putting it on in the car.

I know a traffic policewoman who is quite within her rights to stop a car with an unsecured dog in it if she can see it, and she frequently does just that ... charged with "driving without due care and attention" - the argument being that you can't possibly drive safely with the distraction of a loose dog which even if it's sitting quietly might not continue to do so - you could be looking at 3-9 points on your license and a £2500 fine.

Have to say, the law aside, imho dogs should travel secured in some way for their own safety.

Annie

 

[k4tie-d]

theres some good info here :thumbsup:

 

[Janimal]

that's what I thought, when I expressed concern to OH about Ella travelling loose on the cabin bed behind him in the wagon, that if he's in a crash she'll fly thru' windscreen his reply was....'and what about me if i'm in a crash ?' (w00t) ...

The scary part, not that I want to frighten you or anything, is when he's in a crash and the unsecured whippet, still doing maybe 30 miles an hour or more, hits him from behind ... folk have been killed being clobbered in the back of the head by unsecured rearseat passengers.

Annie

This is what I was meaning too....its why seatbelts for human passengers was brought in by law in the back seat....because if there was a crash

the passengers in the back can KILL on impact the person in the front....which in my eyes includes flying loose dogs too Im afraid.

Its such a distraction too...having a dog loose because they on occasions stand up and look out the window...etc...

when you are driving ....I know mobile phones isnt included in this thread but its one of my pet hates...seeing drivers either on a mobile phone...one handed

driving round a corner or roundabout.....or a flaying dogs head out of the window... trouble is although the mobile phone using is supposed to be not allowed

you still see it happening...so I suppose if they brought in a dog law people would still abuse it..

 

[gilliwigs]

theres some good info here :thumbsup:

That's a really good page, thanks Katie. :thumbsup: We need to get car harnesses for our two but we've tried before and found it difficult to get something that fits properly. What do other people use?

 

[k4tie-d]

theres some good info here :thumbsup:

That's a really good page, thanks Katie. :thumbsup: We need to get car harnesses for our two but we've tried before and found it difficult to get something that fits properly. What do other people use?

the puppia ones are really nice, we used them when ruby and star were little, and we bought the easy-dog car attachment.

not sure what would be good now as ruby and star are in the boot of the car now, cause star is an awfull traveller, she drools every where and is usualy sick. :x so they had to go to the boot where isa far easier to clean up :thumbsup:

 

[gilliwigs]

theres some good info here :thumbsup:

That's a really good page, thanks Katie. :thumbsup: We need to get car harnesses for our two but we've tried before and found it difficult to get something that fits properly. What do other people use?

the puppia ones are really nice, we used them when ruby and star were little, and we bought the easy-dog car attachment.

not sure what would be good now as ruby and star are in the boot of the car now, cause star is an awfull traveller, she drools every where and is usualy sick. :x so they had to go to the boot where isa far easier to clean up :thumbsup:

We had a dog guard fitted, and they will both travel in the boot, but there's not quite enough room for the two of them, especially as Muffin gets cross if Jonah gets too close and accidentally treads on him! (w00t) So I have to confess they travel on their bean bags in the back of the car which I've never been happy about, so maybe this thread will get me motivated to find something safer. :thumbsup:

 

[hely]

Gypsy goes in the boot........we have a large 4x4 so she has plenty of room and sprawls out on her blanket.....i attach her lead to a little hook on the side........she has always travelled fine :thumbsup:

 

[Julie D]

The scary part, not that I want to frighten you or anything, is when he's in a crash and the unsecured whippet, still doing maybe 30 miles an hour or more, hits him from behind ... folk have been killed being clobbered in the back of the head by unsecured rearseat passengers.

Annie

Annie,

I quite agree, I'm always telling him, I'm also wary that if in an accident the dog is not tied in it may run off frightened, get lost or run over, even at a small 20 lbs she'd be a sledge hammer at speed.

Off to search the house for her seatbelt harness now.

p.s. the back of a 4 x 4 is perfect but a proper boot is dangerous due to exhaust fumes.

 

[k4tie-d]

p.s. the back of a 4 x 4 is perfect but a proper boot is dangerous due to exhaust fumes.

could you please explain this for me????

 

[raceylady]

Have a look at this link. I found them very good and the dogs travel so well in them , my sickie one has never been sick since for some reason!! :thumbsup:

http://www.championswitzerland.com/index_en.php

 

[wilfred]

Whatever the law says, regarding restraining dogs etc in cars - I personally would never travel with a dog (or child, or adult passenger come to that) who was NOT restrained.

It doesn't take too much stretch of the imagination to work out what would happen if an unsecured dog were to be thrown about in a car and I don't even want to think about the possibility of what would happen to a dog who escaped from a crashed vehicle :wacko:

I've always just been happier knowing children and dogs are safely secured in vehicles.