Nsw - Dog Restraints

[Serenity-V]

There is a rule in NSW that states :you are not allowed to let a pet (in my case, a puppy) on the drivers lap. I'm about to get a puppy and some members of my family are coming along with me to pick up the puppy and bring him to my home. Can one of my family members that are in the PASSENGER seat hold the puppy in their lap? Is this legal?

Edited May 3, 2012 by Serenity-V

[Esky the husky]

The puppy probably won't be comfortable to sit in someones lap for the whole trip anyway.

They tend to squirm a lot :laugh:

A crate would be ideal, or failing that a harness that attaches to the seatbelt area of the back seat.

It could be very dangerous for all parties if the pup gets loose and makes its way over to you while your driving!

Congrats on your new puppy by the way :D

[shmoo]

The law only refers to a dog in the drivers lap. So yes it can sit in somebody else's lap, but for safety I would harness or crate the dog.

[PuddleDuck]

When I picked up bear from the airport she promptly peed all over me while sitting in my lap for the drive home. 5 minutes later she spewed on me as well. My advice is to take a crate, or failing that a BIG pile of towels :laugh:

[RiverStar-Aura]

When I picked Kirah up from her breeders' property, I took with me plenty of blankets and a solid plastic cat carrier. Kirah got put inside and we got as far as a block down the road when she started complaining and fighting to get out. She spent the rest of the trip home (about a 2.5 hour car drive) on happily on my lap before she finally settled over my shoulder and fell asleep!

We also took plenty of pit-stops along the way to give her a pee break (we had no accidents on the way home) and to give my dad and me time to stretch our legs.

[tdierikx]

It is an offence to have an unrestrained dog anywhere in a car that may cause the driver to take their attention off the road. Sitting on a front passenger's lap is not a good place for an unrestrained pup to be. You can have a passenger in the back seat holding on to the pup however.

Personally I'd be buying or borrowing a travel crate for the pup's trip home in the car.

T.

[persephone]

My advice? Secure quiet carrier/crate ,and less people = less excitement /stress for puppy . That first few hours/days should be calm ,and immediately set the house rules etc in place .

The vomiting and peeing/pooing is a very common thing, and , as well as being unpleasant, does also distract the driver .Something to consider.

[Dame Aussie]

When I picked up bear from the airport she promptly peed all over me while sitting in my lap for the drive home. 5 minutes later she spewed on me as well. My advice is to take a crate, or failing that a BIG pile of towels :laugh:

:laugh: classic

I had Lili on my lap on the way home from her breeders and she just slept like a little angel, however next pup we get will be restrained in the back. It's not safe to have them unrestrained. Our two are always harnessed in when they go in the car now too.

Edited May 3, 2012 by Aussie3

[minimax]

Why risk the safety of a new pup?

edit: when I got my pup the crate I had didn't fit into the car, and she was too small for a collar or harness so I had http://www.worldforpets.com.au/products/product_detail.asp?ID=623 one of those and she went in there for the first month or so. it also taught her that whenever she was in the car, to just curl up and sleep, because the lid went on to reduce stimulation etc

Edited May 3, 2012 by minimax

[Miss Danni]

Dont travel your pup in the front seat. In an accident, the passenger airbag will kill your puppy. For the same reason, children under 7 cannot travel in the front passenger seat.

Take less family to pick up the pup - you need to be able to focus on what the breeder tells you - and arrange for a crate or car harness, depending on the size of the pup. Your family members can sit with the pup in the backseat and everyone will be safe and much happier.

[Whippetsmum]

Dogs need to be restrained for all the reasons already mentioned. Get a crate if you can, there are some soft ones at Reject shop if you are cash strapped, and some small wire ones too,if not, borrow one. Our pup came home in a large cat carrier which was fine for the purpose and fitted her back then.

I hope you don't need this advice...we picked up our pup very prepared using this method, ours was and is a big chucker:

If your pup is a chucker (and you won't know), having a few towels in layers on the crate/carrier floor can be useful, If the pup vomits, take top towel off, vomits again, next towel comes off etc. Handtowels are good depending on the crate size, and if you use several, they'll fit in the washing machine easily. Take a big plastic bag so you can stuff any dirty towels in, put the bag in the car boot- puppy vomit in a car can make people vomit. Lastly, take baby wipes to clean up your hands and a damp face wsher to wipe any mess off puppy. We needed 4 or 5 towels Take poo bags just in case!

[Odin-Genie]

When I got my first puppy, I put a harness and lead and held the lead while he sat on a bunch of towels on my lap on the front passenger seat. Throughout the drive (about 2 hrs) he put his head on my shoulders and slept. I still remember that as a very special moment.

[Danois]

It is an offence to have an unrestrained dog anywhere in a car that may cause the driver to take their attention off the road.

Not technically correct.

It is not an offence to have an unrestrained dog in a car. It is an offence to have a dog in the driver's lap. It is an offence not to have proper control of a vehicle and the police could ping you for having an unrestrained dog if it is interfering with your control. Relevant rule is 297.