Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 6:49 pm Post subject: Is there a law on how dogs travel in the car
Hi hope some one can help, I was just chatting about the gt at work today and we got on to car travel. 3 people said that it is law that you have to have a dog gaurd up so they can't get on the back seat or if they are on the back seat they have to have correct belts.
I have a small car and although I secure them I cant use either of the above methods .
I have looked online and can find no evidence of this so called law .
can any one enlighten me please
My hubby, who is a police officer says there is no law currently stipulating how your dog is transported in your car.
However the dog should be under control at all times, if your attnetion is drawn to the dog and you cause and accident or have one, you can be prosecuted for dangerous driving.
____________ Natalie x
LAB LINK RESCUE Co ordinator and Forum Administrator for my sins
Jack, Molly & Maia, watched over by Tara Banana from the Bridge
thanks for that I do restrain them but i have to have the spread them between the two back seats and and the boot, at least i know i am not breaking the law, I needed to be sure otherwise I would have been camping in a cell instead of a field given the week I am having so far
I never knew that Nat, I thought it was the law to have them restrained.
FROM THE HIGHWAY CODE;
43: When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you if you stop quickly.
If a dog on the back seat is loose and you have a head on impact, then the dog could certainly injure if not, kill you.
I always thought they had to be restrained as well, CJ and Cindy travel in crates, neither will put up with the harness`s that attach to belts, Cindy chews thru the seat belt to get free , and CJ gets himself so twisted up he can`t move
RJJ....
You say they are restrained, maybe if you say how it will help ?
I think the main concern would be if it was a 2 third / 1 third seat break down set up ( if that makes sense ) and a human was on the 1 remaining third.... that might be deemed as ' uncontrolled ' as injury could occur.
A dog bouncing around, moving from one seat to another, this would cause you to be distracted, basically if you have to keep checking in your mirrors to se what your dogs are doing, then your dogs would be out of your control if thta makes sense.
The Highway code believe it or not is recommendation, there are no laws based on the highway code it is at its name suggests a code of conduct on the road, all laws pertaining to vehicles have to come under the road traffic act.
PS: Good to see you back Rhoni
____________ Natalie x
LAB LINK RESCUE Co ordinator and Forum Administrator for my sins
Jack, Molly & Maia, watched over by Tara Banana from the Bridge
When I 1st got Molly, she was never restrained in the car, but having witnessed an accident where the dog was positioned loose on the back seat, I soon changed my views which resulted in a change of car to an estate model and the purchase of a crate for the now 2 girls to travel in,
I must admit, it is much nicer to be driving with the knowledge that they are both as safe as they can be, and I can concentrate on the more important task of driving safely
I have also heard of an accident where the dog was not restrained, and upon opening the doors to free the passengers, the dog escape into the path of passing vehicles to be run over & killed
I would imagine it's up to you to make sure they are safe and not distracting you, secure them however they travel best and can do themselves/passengers no harm.
Even if they're secured, if they're not happy and thrashing about then they could still cause enough of a distraction to impair your driving, and I'm sure you could still be done for driving without due care...
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, and CJ gets himself so twisted up he can`t move 
to be run over & killed 
