In case you haven’t heard: Governor Schwarzenegger has vetoed the so-called “Paris Hilton” bill that would have banned Californian motorists from driving with pets in their laps. The Governor said he was vetoing the bill because he was only approving bills of the “highest priority for California” during the whole time we were debating the state budget.
The bill’s author says having dogs on your lap is distracting and dangerous while behind the wheel, and of course the reason the bill is known as the “Paris Hilton” bill is because she and other celebs have been frequently seen (and photographed) driving with their pets in their laps.
What do you think of the bill? Do you think the Governor did the right thing? The bill was backed by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Los Angeles but critics said it was unwarranted interference by the government in matters that shouldn’t be under their purview.
Being that my dog is NOT a lap dog, no matter what she might think, I do not have this issue. It would be insane to try and drive with her in my lap. However, I am a little torn. I am wary of the government’s recent interest in telling motorists exactly what they should and should not be doing in their cars, but at the same time, for the pets’ sake I think animals in laps isn’t safe. What if the driver got into an accident and the airbag went off? Having been a victim of an airbag in my friend’s car once, I can vouch for how hard those things slam into you – what would that do to a small dog or cat? And that’s just one alternative to the animal flying out of control somewhere. Okay, enough morbidity, suffice to say I think lapdogs are unsafe but at the same time, I wish we could make these choices for ourselves and not force the government to take action. Here’s the original article posted in the U.K. Telegraph online. Photo courtesy of: AP.
About the author:
I do love dogs - I've always had a soft spot for them...I've read most of the big dog breed books I could get my hands on, and I also love training dogs - my dog and I have been to: puppy kindergarten, manners class, intermediate tricks, beginner'...
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I think the difference may be not that it is dangerous to you and your animal, but that it can be an added distraction to driving that puts other's in danger. I don't have a small lap animal either (at least not one I would take driving with me), but I can see where having one is an added risk that puts others in danger. It's kind of similar to talking on a cell phone while driving. I've done it, and it can distract you from the task at hand (driving) although maybe not all the time.
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