Taking Your Dog to the Beach this Summer

There are many beaches now in Spain which are dog-friendly, but in order to get to those beaches often involves driving, and therefore it is important to know how to keep your dog safe in the vehicle.

Firstly, just like everything else, animals must be secured in the vehicle. However, there is an additional rule, in that they must not be able to interfere with the driver in any way.

A common appearance on the roads in summer is a beloved pet being carried sat on the lap of a front seated passenger, totally unrestrained, other than perhaps the hands of the human upon it. This is extremely dangerous, especially for the animal, and with that in mind, you will perhaps not be surprised to hear, illegal.

There is a specific offence of having insecure animals in the vehicle, which is punishable by an immediate fine of 80 euro.

Having an animal in the vehicle that could interfere with the driver is dangerous, so a dog sat loose on the front seat for example is not allowed. Carrying animals which are not properly restrained is dangerous to them too.

Allowing your dog to hang out of the window, which might be a favourite past time for some, is not allowed, as it is dangerous to the animal, and can interfere with the overall visibility.

In terms of keeping an animal secure, then they can be placed inside a case, cage, or box, for example, but then that device must also be properly secured to the vehicle.

You can but specific dog straps which attach to the seat belt fixtures in the vehicle. These are allowed, so long as the animal is secure and there is no way it can reach the driver, so again, the front seat id most likely not the best place.

Animals are unpredictable, especially in environments they are unsure of or not used to. If loose, they could interfere with the driver´s ability or visibility. In the event of a crash, the animal would suffer considerable injury and, most likely, death.

If you are on a longer drive and need to stop for a call of nature, then again, you must ensure that the animal is secure and not able to run into the road. In strange an alien environment, animals can behave unpredictably, and so you must ensure that you have control at all times, never allowing the animal to run freely.

A new novelty which is covered by the Animal Welfare Law, rather than Traffic Law, is that animals cannot be walked from a vehicle. IN other words, if you have a dog on a leash and are riding a bike, or traveling in a car, it is not permitted for the dog to walk alongside you in that circumstance.