Traveling With Pets: Laws You Should Know

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By: Taranjit | Last Updated: December 14, 2020

Getting ready to take your pet for a ride in your car? Whether it’s going to the vet or a road trip, it is important that you know the laws that exist around how to legally transport an animal. And it’s not just about abiding by the law, but it is also about keeping your pet safe while in the vehicle.

Depending on the state that you are in, the laws will vary.

States that have laws about properly restraining dogs in a vehicle:

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New Hampshire all have laws that state that dogs must be properly contained when being transported in a the bed of a truck. Although there are no laws requiring that dogs be properly restrained inside a vehicle, these states do have laws or punishments for transporting a dog in an open area of a vehicle or in the truck bed and it being illegal to do so without proper restraints.

Whereas, Rhode Island’s law requires dogs to be properly secured while being transported in a vehicle. When it comes to the type or restraint, it can vary. It is required for a dog to be properly restrained through various methods or physically under the control of a passenger.

States that do not have laws about properly restraining dogs in a vehicle:

There are many states that do not have laws currently in effect that prohibit driving with unrestrained dogs, and these states include: Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, D.C., Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming

But many of these states do have laws about punishing those who practice cruel and inhumane methods of transporting animals, and you have a chance of getting a distracted driving ticket if the unrestrained animal is thought to be a distraction to the driver.

States that have ambiguous laws about driving with unrestrained dogs:

The language of the law in the following states Alabama, Arizona, Hawaii, Iowa, Mississippi, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin is not specific enough to determine whether it is against the law to drive with unrestrained dogs in your vehicle.

Many of these states did propose bills about properly restraining dogs in a vehicle or prohibiting dogs from riding in a driver’s lap; however, none of the bills proposed passed in the above listed states, and these states have not introduced any new laws in regards to this or currently don’t have a law about this.

States that don’t have any current laws about driving with unrestrained dogs:

Florida, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, and Pennsylvania have proposed laws that could prohibit transporting unrestrained animals; however, no law currently exists. Although, interestingly, Michigan does have a specific law for transporting wolf-dog hybrids in a vehicle. These hybrids must be transported in compliance with the International Air Transport Association’s Live Animal Regulation for Dogs.

Keep your pets safe:

Safety should be your number one priority when behind the wheel because it is not just your life in your hands, you also have the lives of your passengers (including your pets) and other drivers on the road in your hands. Just like humans have to properly buckle themselves in a vehicle, you should secure your pets appropriately in the vehicle as well regardless of whether it is a law or not. Safety first!

Comment down below your riding with pet stories and whether you agree with these laws above. We love to hear from you all (and you never know, we may feature your story!).