Thanks to Strangenature.com for this image.

The sight of a dog with his nose sticking out of a car window, sniffing the breeze, is a familiar one. But motorists should beware; in New Jersey, drivers who let their dogs (and cats) roam freely about a moving vehicle can be ticketed.

According to the official press release issued by the State of New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission on May 30:

“Under N.J.S.A. 4:22-18, NJSPCA Officers can pull over any driver they feel is improperly transporting an animal. Not only can a ticket be issued with fines ranging from $250 to $1,000 for each offense, but the driver can also be charged with a disorderly person’s offense under the state’s animal cruelty statutes.”

We can only assume that “improperly transporting an animal” extends to putting a dog or cat into a pet carrier and lashing it to the roof of the car for a cross-country trip. More specifically, perhaps, Col. Frank Rizzo, Superintendent of the NJSPCA, said he “would like to see every animal contained or restricted from moving around freely in a car and if that is not possible, at least harnessed or leashed using any number of safety products on the market.”

Are untethered pets really a distraction? According to a 2010 survey conducted by the AAA, 31% of responders claimed they were “truly distracted” by their dogs, regardless of where the dog was in the car.

What do you think? Is driving with your pet as distracting (and dangerous) as texting, talking on a cell phone, eating fast food, shaving with a cordless razor, or putting on mascara? And if you saw a dog riding untethered in a car (or in a carrier on the roof) would you call the SPCA at 1-800-582-5979 to report it?