Shouldn’t Pets Be Restrained Too?

To The Editor:
I have been an advocate for animal safety since my childhood. I wrote to Sen. Jeff Van Drew, and several other legislators both from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. I have personally known the fathers of Joe Roberts, Bob Casey, and have rubbed elbows with many elected officials, even down their rank and files. My goal was and still is, to ensure all pets are treated and cared for to the best of their owner’s abilities.
However, it’s not getting any better out of and inside the home. Pets, especially dogs and cats, are literally being placed in harm’s way. I have sat at Wawas in many shore towns, on the “going home” days of summer trips, and observed, eight of every 10 vehicles, with an animal or two, and sometimes three, loose inside the vehicles. Add a child or two, and that spells disaster.
Why can’t I get a positive answer from these elected officials, that in addition to every person buckling up, the animal must be secured too? I was even told it’s a political “no no.” Has the inevitable ever occurred? An accident or fatality caused by the distraction of an animal to the operator of the vehicle? Who knows! Police don’t.
I questioned of few of my friends on the various police departments, and guess what the response was? We never give it any consideration; it just isn’t a part of the concern at the time. In fact, some even stated, “while lying on the road bleeding to death, the cat or dog is either gone, or licking the victim, and is shooed away.” That is the mentality, people. So why can’t I get a law that simply states, “while driving a vehicle at any speed, two hands must be on the steering wheel at all times?” Isn’t that already in many driver manuals of instructions called the 10 and 2 o’clock rule?
All police are concerned about today, is writing a ticket for speeding, it’s the fastest growing revenue source of the times. And I agree it is a good source, but only one of every 10 speeders, are involved in an accident causing a fatality. They’re just good drivers, and they usually don’t have their pets on their laps. It’s the weakest of all drivers, the families with kids and pets and happy trips, that will suffer.
Honestly, dads and moms, ask yourself this one simple question, when was the last time you were pulled over and the cop said, “you’re being stopped for a car full of kids and pets jumping around?” No, it’s usually “I clocked you speeding; here is your ticket, and have a safe drive home.”
FRANCIS GRAFF
Sea Isle City