Many dogs enjoy going for a ride in the car. We've all seen them, head out the window, tongue flapping in the breeze! So cute! But, is it safe? How much thought do you give to the way your dog rides in the car? While no one is suggesting that you buckle Rover into a seatbelt (although such devices are available!) a new bill has been passed in California making it illegal to drive with a pet on your lap!
"If you have an animal that gets in your face or gets tangled up in your steering wheel when you're driving, you can't properly control (the car)," says Califronia Assembly Member Bill Maze, who proposed the bill. The bill prohibits drivers from "holding a live animal in his or her arm or arms or upon his or her lap."
Both houses of the California legislature have passed the bill. After minor tweaking, it heads to Governor Schwarzenegger's desk. The governor has not yet stated his position on the bill.
