A proposed bill in Florida aims to prohibit drivers from allowing their dogs to sit on their lap or putting their heads out of a car window while in motion.
State Senator Lauren Book (D-Broward) has filed Senate Bill 932, which aims to safeguard animals by prohibiting the declawing of cats.
The bill also aims to protect animals by making it illegal to transport dogs in certain areas of a vehicle such as the running board, fender, hood, or roof, or in a trunk or enclosed cargo space, or while the vehicle is being towed. The bill would also prohibit dogs from sitting on the driver’s lap or sticking their head out of a moving car window.
In addition to the prohibitions mentioned earlier, the proposed bill would also mandate that dogs be transported in a crate suitable for their size when in a vehicle on a public road, be restrained using a safety harness or seat belt other than a neck restraint, or be under the physical supervision of someone other than the driver when traveling in a car.
To transport dogs in the open truck beds of pickups, it is required that they are in a well-ventilated dog crate which should allow them to have good footing, be protected from harsh weather conditions and direct sunlight.
The crate in which the dog is secured to the pickup truck must be large enough for the dog to turn around, sit, stand, and lie down in a natural position.
People who violate the bill’s provisions would be subject to receiving citations for a moving violation, but it would not be considered a criminal traffic infraction.
The proposed bill also contains regulations for cat owners, stating that declawing a cat would be considered illegal unless it is deemed necessary for medical treatment. If a cat is declawed without medical justification, the owner could be fined up to $1,000 per violation. Each instance of declawing or partial declawing would count as a separate violation.
A part of the bill includes a measure that permits courts to prohibit animal ownership as a term of probation for those who violate the law.
The bill also includes provisions to prohibit cosmetic testing on animals for products that are intended for humans, such as beauty treatments, cleansers, or items used to alter one’s appearance.
In the bill’s current wording, producers would not be allowed to use any of the above-mentioned products on living non-human vertebrates. However, keeping the data from prior tests is not regarded as creating a product under the language of the bill.
The proposed bill would establish a penalty of $5,000 for those who violate the prohibition on animal testing, and an additional penalty of $1,000 for each day that the violation continues.
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