25 Comments:

• Its about time we do somethink about dogs safety in cars.Despite what the experts say peoplo are still allowing their dogs to hang their face out the window while riding.That have many dangers.
  First,it can get dust in their eyes.
  Second,the dogs can hurt theirselves by running into something such as an open door.
  Third,the dogs can escape.

  By  Anonymous, at 8:35 AM, July 06, 2005  

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• As far as I know, it is the law to wear a seatbelt in the car if you are a human. Stands to reason why a dog should also be belted in. We have laws in place for child safety. Many people feel like their dogs are their children....so they ought to start treating the animals with a little more care when in a vehicle. It's not a hard thing to do...and it just may save their lives in a collision.

  By  Anonymous, at 12:20 PM, July 07, 2005  

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• My dog uses a harness with a safety strap that attaches to the seatbelt clasp, and it keeps her from both jumping on my lap while I'm driving, and/or falling out of the window if it's down. She doesn't mind a bit. In fact, when it's time to go for a ride, she sits and is more than happy to put her harness on! I'm from Pa.

  By  Krazy, at 12:51 PM, July 07, 2005  

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• I agree that a dog MAY benefit from a vehicle restraint... I do not think that we need the government to order us to so with a law.. i think it should be left up to the owners discretion... not unless everyone wants taxes raised so that the government can give out free restraints for animals like they do with child seats for children...

  By  Anonymous, at 5:46 PM, July 22, 2005  

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• I agree that a dog MAY benefit from a vehicle restraint... I do not think that we need the government to order us to so with a law.. i think it should be left up to the owners discretion... not unless everyone wants taxes raised so that the government can give out free restraints for animals like they do with child seats for children...

  By  Anonymous, at 5:46 PM, July 22, 2005  

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• The government does belong in our cars. Driving a car is a privelege, not a right guaranteed by the Constitution. The roads are built and maintained for us by the government, and they regulate what goes on there, like speed, vehicle safety, etc... Eliminating something that could cause a driver to divert his or her attention or actually inhibit the driver from properly controlling the vehicle, is definitely withing the government rights and responsibilities. Unrestrained pets can interfere with steering, vision, or get underfoot and obstruct the accelerator and brake. Pets should be restrained, just children and all passengers, and the fine should be stiffer than the $50 - $200 that it is in most places.

  By  Anonymous, at 10:22 AM, August 02, 2005  

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• All of you IDIOTS that are in favor of such an incredibly REDICULOUS law should have been sacrificed with those British that died while our forefathers fought for our FREEDOM!
  There is no helmet law in Pa !
  GET A F*****G LIFE and get out of my pocket. My dog is trained and behaved. AS AM I !
  I, and only I, am in control of MY dog!

  By  Scott, at 5:19 PM, August 04, 2005  

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• All of you IDIOTS that are in favor of such an incredibly REDICULOUS law should have been sacrificed with those British that died while our forefathers fought for our FREEDOM!
  There is no helmet law in Pa !
  GET A F*****G LIFE and get out of my pocket. My dog is trained and behaved. AS AM I !
  I, and only I, am in control of MY dog!
  We should NOT even have a seat belt for humans. Our Government CANNOT save us from OURSELVES!
  It is yet ANOTHER money scam under disguise.

  By  Scott, at 5:21 PM, August 04, 2005  

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• I'm with you Scott!!! My dog NEVER comes into the front seat or distracts me from my driving. Why should I have to spend money I can't afford to restrain her? I am also FURIOUS that the government is trying to steal more of our alleged freedom. Welcome to communism! We can't even choose how our dogs ride in the cars we pay for. And am I the only one who is LIVID that Pennsylvania law is being created by 11-year-old kids who have never paid a dime in taxes and can't vote for years??!!! I'm MAD!!!

  By  Anonymous, at 8:34 PM, August 12, 2005  

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• I don't agree with this dog seatbelt law in PA. I agree with
  Scott, the govenment is butting to
  much into our private lives. Why
  dont they concentrate on our school
  taxes which was one of their PROMISES when they run for office.
  iF THIS STUPID LAW GOES INTO EFFECT
  I WILL REMEMBER THIS ON ELECTION
  DAY.

  By  Anonymous, at 4:25 AM, August 18, 2005  

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• +1 for Scott.
  
  My dog lies down in the back seat. He has arthritis. Requiring him to sit-up straight with a seat belt the whole time would be animal cruelty.
  
  You can make laws to cover every distraction.
  
  I've seen people reading the newspaper, putting on make-up, talking on cells, shaving on their morning commute.
  
  Why not just "Don't be stupid while driving.
  
  -Matt

  By  Anonymous, at 12:47 PM, August 19, 2005  

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• I want my dog to be safe in the car, too, but that is my responsibility, not the governments. Besides, how much more dangerous can that be than not wearing a helmut when you are on a motorcycle? Give me a break.

  By  Anonymous, at 6:11 AM, October 03, 2005  

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• we just had a totally unexpected incident while travelling with our dogs - one unexpectedly had diarrhea, the others, in a panicked attempt to get away from it, jumped out of a moving vehicle doing 70 mph. These are great smart mellow-travelling dogs that normally curl up and sleep for the ride. You never know what wierd unforeseen accident could turn your dog into a hurtling, bloody, panicked, projectile that could kill him or YOU. We were lucky, we found our dogs on the highway before they were run over, and after $3500 worth of vet bills and weeks of nursing, our dogs survived. Law or not, please consider protecting yourself and others and the dogs you care about. You can crate em so they cn lie down on a pad, or get a grill that goes between front of car/truck cab and back seat so they can chill in the back, or I looked around and there are seatbelt clips for under $20 that you use with a harness that allows them to lie down on the back seat but keeps them from becoming projectiles in an accident. One note - one of our dogs cameout of a harness that was on too loose. Anyway, look around... there are soluntions. Vets seem to say statistically crates are safest and dogs, being den animals, usually feel safe curled up in there once used to it.

  By  Anonymous, at 12:33 AM, December 09, 2005  

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• You know... I disagree with seatbelt laws, because I don't like being told what to do. But, I was talking with a friend of mine, who told me that they are in place in order to prevent you from killing someone else in your car should you be in a serious accident. I don't want my dog to kill me in the event of an accident, and I sure don't want to inadvertantly kill him either.
  
  But, I don't think that you can make it a law without making cars with "doggie belts" included. You cannot force people to have to buy a seatbelt for their dogs, when the choice would come down to food or dog seatbelt... and you and I all know that there are people who would have to make that choice.
  
  Oh, and do I belt my dog? Only when the roads are bad or the trip is long. Otherwise, I tend to let him be free.
  
  Kelly

  By  Kelly, at 1:18 PM, January 02, 2006  

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• Oh. My. God.
  
  Aren't there any better things to worry about? My dog is well trained. Why isn't there a law that makes us train our dogs? Why tie them down? ....and BTW whomever said that the government maintains our roads...ummm...have you checked your neighbors breakdown of property taxes? Obviously you don't own a home and pay taxes yourself. Perhaps you've checked the taxes on a gallon of gas? WE pay for road maintenance! The government should get WAAAAAY the hell out of our lives. I'd volunteer more money to them than they TAKE from me. It's a principle thing. Leave me alone and I'll take care of myself...and my dog. Fine me if I F$&# up.

  By  Brandy, at 7:10 PM, January 05, 2006  

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• I dunno. No matter how well-trained a dog is, it won't stop it from flying through the windshield during an accident. I do agree though, that if this law passes, they should give out free seatbelt harnesses or something instead of force people to go out and buy them.
  
  This said, I do own a seatbelt harness for my dog for that reason (projectiles). And she is able to lie down in it. :)

  By  Anonymous, at 5:04 PM, January 06, 2006  

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• Boy, there are some strong opinions out there. I agree that we shouldn't need the government in such cases as these but people are not real bright at times. I just saw a dog riding in an open pickup yesterday. Just not real bright. Dogs need more laws too. I'm in dog rescue and you wouldn't believe what people think they can do to animals. It's funny that the person cussing and calling everyone idiots thinks it's an 11 year old kid that is causing this...the subject states and 11 year old constituent...not kid so settle down. I still see people riding without their seatbelts. I don't want the government in everyone's business either...I prefer that people smarten up but that doesn't look like it will happen anytime soon. Even a well trained dog is going to go flying if you have to slam on the brakes or someone hits you. In a really bad accident it may not help but in a fender bender you could be saving the cost of a broken leg....and more importantly saving your dog the pain. You think that your dog is so well trained he won't go flying through the air..would you let your kid ride without any restraint. If so, I think you are calling the wrong people idiots.

  By  Anonymous, at 9:31 AM, January 09, 2006  

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• P.S. Your dog can still lay down with the seatbelt harness. They can sit, laydown or stand. They just can't move from seat to seat and are restrained if you have to stop suddenly or get hit. So a dog with arthritis will have no problem. In dog rescue I've had them all, well trained, crazy all over the place, old, young, big and small and the harness works from them all. I use a crate when possible but that isn't always the best option. The dogs don't mind them either. My only issue is the really crazy dogs might try to turn around and they can get a bit tangled. The adapter that goes from harness to seatbelt usually helps this issue and gives your pet a bit more room.

  By  Anonymous, at 9:53 AM, January 09, 2006  

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• My dogs have been wearing seatbelts for the past three years. They are able to sit and lay down in various positions with them on. They actually seem to like them (probably because they know they get to go for a ride if the seatbelts come out!).
  
  How many of you have seen a car accident up close and personal? Have you ever seen a severely injured human or animal that likely could have been minimized or avoided altogether if restraints were used? (If not, ask to ride along with your local paramedics.) Even if you have the "best trained" dog (or child) sitting in the backseat, if you hit the brakes hard enough for the dog (child) to take to flight, there is a chance that your neck will be broken because you did not restrain your dog/child.
  
  While I am for minimal government involvement in our personal lives, the problem is our society fails to appreciate potential consequences and once they find themselves in a nasty predicament, they expect the government to clean up after them. If you become paralyzed or otherwise severely injured because your dog/child/whomever comes flying out of the backseat, should you be entitled to any sort of government benefit (disability, Medicaid, Medicare, etc.) because you failed to take adequate safety precautions?
  
  As soon as we're legally allowed to weed stupid people out of the gene pool, I'll be happy to campaign for fewer laws on the books. Until then, laws are put in place to help guide the intellectually inferior who continue to propogate at the speed of light and infest our planet.

  By  Anonymous, at 2:04 PM, March 06, 2006  

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• Apparently there are a lot of communist-minded people posting here who don't mind having the government totally rule their lives and take away all their supposed FREEDOM. Some democracy this is when you can no longer even decide for yourself how your dog rides in your car. Life is dangerous. Not even the stifling overreaching of this government can keep us safe. Hell, this government couldn't even do a decent job of responding after a hurricane to help people in need and this government condemned thousands of beloved pets to certain death by refusing to allow them to be rescued. There may be lots of pros and cons on both sides of this issue, but the point is this is supposed to be a free country (Laugh!! Laugh!! Laugh!!)
  and how my dog rides in MY car should be my choice to make, not some thieving, corrupt politician in Harrisburg.

  By  Anonymous, at 8:16 PM, April 03, 2006  

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• If you stupid people don't like it here and you don't think you live in a free country then go live in Iraq.

  By  Anonymous, at 4:52 PM, May 18, 2006  

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• 25 % of people don't wear seat belts all the time. Let's continue to promote seatbelt awareness and the benefits and stay away from a ridiculous law that's just going to piss a lot of people off. We don't even require seatbelts in school buses, though it has been studied and proven to have no real benefit. Same for this proposed law I predict.

  By  homner77, at 10:16 AM, July 06, 2006  

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• I love my dogs, but who cares about this stupid law. A fair percentage of people don't wear their belts and there's no law or fine out there that will make people do soemthing they don't want to do.
  
  And to the guy who suggested moving to Iraq - we're still in a free country here, i think, and we're allowed to bitch, so shut the f**k up!

  By  homner77, at 10:23 AM, July 06, 2006  

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• Hey a friend of ours with a very "trained" dog while coming to the dog park waiting to make a left turn into the park....her dog for no reason after years of going to the park without incident jumped into the back seat and out the window into oncoming traffic and was fatally wounded, it had enough energy to crawl accross the street to the outer gates of the park and died within seconds......It costs $15.00 DOLLARS for a seatbelt harness!!!!
  GO F-ING GET ONE....LAW OR NOT!!!

  By  Anonymous, at 12:32 AM, August 31, 2006  

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• I think that homerezz needs to get a f*ckin life!!! If you love your dogs..you will put them in a seatbelt. It will save their lives if you are ever in a car accident. If you choose not to then don't cry when your dogs are hurt or killed in an accident because YOU CHOSE NOT TO KEEP THEM SAFE!!!!

  By  Anonymous, at 5:36 PM, July 02, 2008  

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