Transporting your Fur-ever Friend

By John Morgan | Dated April 10, 2017

Are you aware of the laws regarding transporting pets in the car or on a motorbike?

At Gordon Vet, we certainly see a massive variety of pawsome pets and travelling with them, we see a real assortment of pet carriers. For cats we see laundry baskets, wicker baskets, pillow slips and backpacks to mention a few. And for dogs, the lateral thinkers have used a belt, horse lunging rope and an assortment of leads to bring their pupsicles in to see us. But what does the law require?

The laws differ slightly from state to state, but in NSW, a driver must not drive with an animal in the driver’s lap. And a motorcycle rider must not ride with an animal between the handlebars and the rider. Animals should be seated or housed in appropriate areas.

Of course, restraining a pet in the car provides real safety benefits to both the pet and the driver/passengers. When restrained, pets are less likely to distract the driver, so they can focus on getting to their destination safely. Additionally, when a car stops suddenly, a restrained pet is less likely to be thrown around in the car, reducing the risk of injury to both the pet and the occupants of the car.

Dogs are best wearing a harness that can be clipped to a regular seatbelt, and just like a child, should travel in the back seat. They should ideally have a drink of water, a short walk and a toilet break every 2 hours. Cats are best confined to a carrier box, ideally with a familiar blanket to help them feel calm. These can be strapped into a seat belt to keep the box from falling in the event of hard braking. Of course, great care needs to be taken that the car is kept cool and that animals are not left unattended in a car.

Happy Pawlidays!

Missy being transported to Gordon Vet in the correct fashion.

Lilly and Blue taking a less conventional mode of transport to Gordon Vet.