Florida residents may soon have to adhere to new regulations when traveling with their dogs if a proposed bill in the state senate is passed. The bill, sponsored by Senator Lauren Book, aims to implement various animal welfare measures, including a ban on declawing cats and animal testing in beauty products. One of the provisions in the bill is the prohibition of dogs being transported on a driver's lap or with their head sticking out of a moving vehicle window.
Additionally, the bill would make it illegal to transport dogs on a vehicle's running board, fender, hood, or roof, as well as in a trunk or enclosed cargo space. Dogs being transported in a towed vehicle would also be banned, and those riding in a pickup truck bed would need to be in a well-ventilated crate that protects them from direct sunlight and provides them with safety from bad weather. Inside a vehicle, drivers would be required to secure their dogs with a crate that is suitable for their size or secured with a harness or seatbelt other than a neck restraint. The driver is prohibited from restraining the dog physically, but a passenger can do so. Violators of the law would be cited for a moving violation, but the charges would not be considered a criminal traffic infraction.
New Hampshire is the second state, after Florida, to propose such a law this year, which would ban drivers from holding dogs on their laps while in control of a motor vehicle. The proposed legislation received opposition from some New Hampshire drivers who argued that the government should not interfere with people's cars and personal happiness.