Should Maine Restrict How Dogs Ride In Cars? [POLL]
A proposal before lawmakers would require that dogs be tethered or harnessed when riding in a car, with their heads safely inside the vehicle. We want to know how you feel about the measure.
Any 'dog person' will tell you that riding in the car is one of their furry friend's greatest pleasures. In our house, it's considered a treat to go for a ride. Heads hang out of windows, and noses work overtime soaking up all the different smells. Eventually, both dogs will sprawl across the back seat, napping. We're lucky because our dogs are well behaved in the car. They don't jump in the front seat while we're driving or otherwise create a hazard to our safety. But not all pets are as cooperative.
A proposal before lawmakers aims to address the challenges of having a loose dog in a moving vehicle. Animals would need to be harnessed or tethered, so they can't roam around the car. They wouldn't be allowed in the front seat and would no longer be able to hang their heads out the window.
Representative Jim Handy of Lewiston, who wrote the proposal, told NESN that he did it because of a resident who was concerned about the safety of animals in vehicles. But, he went on to say, that he can see both sides of the issue. In New Jersey, it can cost a driver up to a $1,000 fine if they're traveling with an unrestrained dog in a vehicle.
Now, we want to know what you think! Should dogs be restrained in vehicles? Is it a good idea to keep them from hanging their heads out the windows? Of is this unnecessary?