Roh, roh! It would be illegal for dogs to stick heads out of moving vehicles

MIAMI - A newly proposed Florida bill, intended to protect animals, would make it illegal to let a dog have any part of its body outside a moving vehicle.

So, if you are transporting your dog, you would have to have it secured in a crate that fits the size of the dog, use a pet seat belt, or someone other than the driver must be in control of the dog.

"This bill is crazy," says dog owner Mildred DeLillo. "They are dogs, they need to be happy. 

Also, those transporting a dog in the open bed of a pickup truck must also use a crate.

If not followed, dog owners or drivers would be open to potential moving violation citations, though the charges would not count as criminal traffic violations.

"That's not going to happen, I'm going to get a ticket," says DeLillo. "My dog likes to sit on my lap and look outside...it's not like I'm going on the freeway."

Harlow Thompson takes care of 7 dogs. When she transports them to and from the dog park, she always wants the car ride to be enjoyable.

"I never let the window all the way down but just like you know enough for them to stick their head out," said Thompson.

"I'm for them enjoying the car rides more, so I'm against that," she adds.

Senate bill 9-32 covers many animal welfare topics, but a key aspect for Florida dog owners includes new restrictions on car transportation.

It would also forbid drivers from having dogs sit in their laps while behind the wheel.

"When dogs stick their heads outside, they can get debris in their face," says Dr. Carlos Canino, a veterinarian at Doral Veterinary Care. "Debris can go in their nose, their eyes...it can cause a serious problem."  

CBS 4 reached to Senator Lauren Book, and says in this statement: 

"Our family has three dogs – two of which are 150 pounds each and love sticking their heads out the window – so I welcome and appreciate all public comment on this issue, which is only one piece of a complete proposed overhaul of the state's animal welfare system as brought to me by veterinarians and advocates. We can easily amend this piece out of the bill while protecting the intent of the animal welfare community and vets who proposed the policy because of unintended injuries they've treated — and we will. In the meantime, let's all invest in a good pair of "doggles" to keep our furry friends safe."