Car travel in France with dog

[FedUpEffedOff]

Hello,

Despite a lot of Googling, I can't find the specific rules regarding how dogs must be restrained in cars in France - does anyone know the rules?

Here, my dog is happy enough sitting in the passenger seat or lying on the back seat but I realise this might be technically breaking the rules.

I've been told that a car transporting a dog in France requires either a dog screen, a cage or a seatbelt harness which must be installed behind the passenger seat.

But does anyone know for sure?

TIA.

And I've posted this in Travel, as well as here.

You need to have your dog restrained in the UK now.

We were stopped by French Police who told us dogs had to be restrained . Ours were in crates so no problems. But you do see a lot of French drivers with their dogs on the dashboard

To be fair it is only sensible to have your dog restrained when travelling by car whether it is the law or not

Yes, I said that I knew I was probably breaking the rules in the UK. I was just wondering what the law was in France as I have heard about crates, nets and harnesses and wondered what the actual rule was.

A crate won't happen (the dog won't tolerate it) but if the rule is simply a harness (and is there a specific position they have to ride in?) then it'd be good to know so I can get one. Ditto a net.

If you're happy breaking the law in the UK, what's different about France?

The guidance I can find is consistent in saying, back seat and restrained. Your choice of how to restrain - cage/carrier or harness.

Pretty daft not to restrain a dog in a car. You'd really have to not care about them being injured in the event of an accident.

The difference is simply that I don't fancy being stopped by French police for it. It's as simple as that. If stopped in the UK I'd deal with it. Don't wanna deal with it on holiday.

I'm a crazy law-breaking maverick. Trot on with your judgement.

Okay it is not breaking the law that is the issue but safety of dog and passengers that would worry me.

My DH is a firefighter and was called out to a rta where the unrestrained dog killed the car driver as it hit the driver from behind in a rear crash.

It is better to be a live law abider than dead crazy law breaking maverick

Anyone know the answer re the law in France?

We have ours in the backseat with a harness that is attached to the seatbelt.
On this forum, someone has linked to the law in france, unfortunately in french and I am not sufficiently good so don't get it all but it seems from the discussion that the law says dogs should be restrained but that it's very much up to the french police how they interpret the law.

www.survivefrance.com/t/law-on-carrying-pets-in-cars/15677/10

Le code de la route oblige le conducteur ainsi que les passager d’un véhicule à porter une ceinture de sécurité (article R412-1).

Il précise également que les possibilités de mouvement et le champ de vision d’un conducteur ne doivent pas être réduit par des passagers ou objets transportés (article R412-6).

Donc si en cas de contrôle votre chien est en liberté dans votre voiture, le principe de précaution prévaut, et vous risquez une amende de 2ème classe car votre chien est un risque potentiel d’entrave à la liberté de vos mouvements ou de votre champ de vision.

Même le meilleur éducateur canin peut dresser son chien à prendre la voiture mais il ne peut pas garantir à 100% les réactions de son chien.

Les forces de l’ordre peuvent également considérer votre chien comme un passager non attaché, auquel cas vous écoperez en plus d’une amende de 4ème classe.

Mais peu importe ce que dit la loi, transporter un chien en voiture n’est pas un acte anodin et il faut prendre un maximum de précautions pour vous, vos passagers et votre chien.

^^ English Translation

The Highway Code requires the driver and passengers of a vehicle to wear a seatbelt (Article R412-1).

It also specifies that the possibilities of movement and the field of vision of a driver must not be reduced by passengers or objects carried (Article R412-6).

So if in case of control your dog is free in your car, the precautionary principle prevails, and you risk a fine of 2nd class because your dog is a potential risk of hindering the freedom of your movements or your field. vision.

Even the best dog trainer can train his dog to take the car but he can not guarantee 100% of his dog's reactions.

Law enforcement can also consider your dog as an unattached passenger, in which case you will be fined in addition to a 4th class fine.

But no matter what the law says, transporting a dog by car is not a trivial matter and you must take maximum precautions for you, your passengers and your dog.

Thanks OverFedStanley

I think I managed to get the gist of it and would always have ours restrained for the safety of him and us!