unrestrained dog in car nsw

In NSW it’s not outright illegal to have a dog unrestrained inside a car, but it is illegal if the animal is on your lap or interferes with your control of the vehicle.

Police can fine you for driving without proper control, and if the dog is injured because it wasn’t secured, you may face offences under animal welfare laws.

Dogs on the back of a ute or trailer must be safely restrained—think tethered to an anchor point or in a secured crate—so they can’t fall or jump off.

Best practice inside the cabin is a crash-tested harness clipped to a seatbelt or a secured crate; it protects the dog and stops them becoming a furry projectile.

So yes, you can cruise with the hound, but keep them off the driver’s seat and properly contained unless you fancy a fine and a very bad day.