Posted on 07/06/2005 10:47:37 AM PDT by Cagey
Where Fido finds a breath of fresh air, Marc McCann, 11, sees a road hazard. The Green Tree boy helped a state lawmaker craft a proposal that would make it illegal for dogs and other pets to stick their heads out the car window, which McCann says is a danger to animals and a distraction to drivers.
McCann's idea now has a shot at becoming law, thanks to a contest called "There Ought to Be a Law," sponsored annually by Rep. Tom Stevenson, R-Mt. Lebanon.
"I never did like dogs sticking their heads out the window," said McCann, who will be a sixth-grader this fall at Keystone Oaks Middle School. "Maybe a sign might have been too close to the road and they'd get hit. Maybe they'd jump out the window on a highway."
The bill, submitted to the Transportation Committee in June, would make it illegal for drivers to let their pets stick their heads or other body parts out the window. It also would require pets to be restrained by methods that could include a pet seat-belt system, or a crate or carrier box.
McCann said he was inspired simply by his love of animals.
"My cousin calls me Dr. Doolittle," said McCann, whose favorite dog breed is the Yorkshire.
Stevenson visited McCann's fifth-grade Aiken Elementary School class to teach them about the legislative process and invite them to enter his contest, now in its ninth year.
More than 500 students from Stevenson's district entered their ideas, and five district magistrates pored over the submissions to pick the winner, the legislator said.
When he won, McCann and his family were invited to Harrisburg to tour the Capitol and met with House Speaker John M. Perzel.
"It was wonderful," said McCann's mother, Sandy McCann. "We were very excited."
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
>>>>Beyond that...now we're going to start passing laws for animals?
http://breederville.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=78
Criminal Code Status - Animal Abuse Laws - OUT OF CONTROL
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=lobby_sessions&s_state=NJ
animal-welfare bills - state-by-state recap
Don't forget the higher sales margins for the companies that made doggy seat belts.
Money down a campaign contribution was made to those that support this.
He's a miniature dachshund who has an elevated car seat (a foam seat covered in fabric available on the internet), and he wears a body harness instead of collar (better for his back). The harness is connected to a "leash" that is looped around the seatbelt that holds the car seat in place.
-PJ
There should be a law that any car operating on any public highwy have every single item within the cabin (such as a pencil...a hairpin..or a child's book) secured by a harnerss or net. Why a hairpin hitting an eyeball at 70 can put your eye out.
That will make travelling safe, relaxing, and fun.....particularly for families with children.
Fido's toys must go in the trunk....He will just have to put up with it.
Yes, I have, but that is easy compared to a cat.
More power to ya, tough guy! Sorry that bringing up the physics involved seems like a threat to your rights ;~D
Nanny State Strikes Again!
I don't know that any of us are diligent enough to have ~no~ loose items in the car, nor do I think you're being serious about a law, but it's good to keep in mind, for those who travel with a lot of clutter.
"I don't like it so we've got to outlaw it." What a wonderful lesson this kid has learned in government school. Meet a future nanny-stater.
Might not have been school. He could be lucky enough to have a couple of democrap parents.
Well, what do you do if you have itty-bitty dogs?
Get a car seat for them?
Geez, weird.
Wrap up in bubble wrap next time you get out of bed. No telling what kind of hazzards await you out there.
"Heck, my owner can't even put my stupid hat on. I'll be dipped if I am going to wear a seat belt."
Hahahaha! Perfect!
Unrestrained dogs are at least as big a problem as cell phones. I have personally witnessed at least three dogs leaping from a moving car, one causing an accident. When they pass a dog by the side of the road, they begin to convulse uncontrollably and that is a significant distraction to the driver and to surrounding drivers, and unrestrained dogs are always a bite risk.
I hate the Nanny State but this is legitimate.
I'm happy with the number and type of risks I take. Once in awhile I even ~gasp~ let the dog ride in the front with me.
You, on the other hand, seem a little tense. Your hostility toward me for mentioning the physics involved seems a little misplaced.
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