(Supplied/RCMP)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)/rdnewsNow

fines possible

Safety paramount when driving with pets: RCMP, SPCA

Jul 19, 2021 | 2:10 PM

Alberta RCMP and the Alberta SPCA are urging motorists to better consider safety when travelling with pets.

Risks include improperly restrained animals and pets which cause a distraction for the driver.

This can result in a fine, RCMP say.

Earlier this summer, according to police, an Alberta RCMP Traffic member observed a vehicle stopped at a red light with a dog leaning out the driver-side window.

When the light turned green, the driver used one hand to hold the dog and the other to steer while driving at 60 km/h in heavy traffic.

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A traffic stop was initiated and the driver was issued a $243 ticket for allowing an animal to impede the safe operation of a motor vehicle, under 115(2)(i) of the Traffic Safety Act.

“All vehicle passengers, including animals, should be properly restrained,” says Supt. Gary Graham, RCMP Traffic Services. “This ensures the safety of pets, their owners, and other road users. It is the responsibility of motorists to practice smart driving behaviours that minimize risk to themselves and their animals.”

RCMP and the SPCA offer the following tips to avoid safety mishaps and tickets:

• Animals should be transported in a kennel or carrier placed in the back seat or cargo space of a vehicle. Ensure the kennel or carrier is secure so as not to move during travel (Edmonton Humane Society, 2021).
• Pets can be restrained using a harness fastened to a seat buckle in the back seat of a vehicle (Edmonton Humane Society, 2021). If an animal is secured in the bed of a truck, the harness should have a short enough tether to keep them away from the sides of the vehicle and eliminate the possibility of them jumping or falling out. (Alberta SPCA, 2021).
• Do not secure an animal by the neck or collar to a seatbelt (Edmonton Humane Society, 2021).
• Do not allow your pet to stick their head or legs outside of a vehicle window. Debris, wind, and sudden stops can all cause serious injury (Edmonton Humane Society, 2021).