BajaNomad - restraining your pooch in your car

FYI. Drove north through Mexicali yesterday. Just before reaching the Sentri lane a policia pulls me over and says I have to pay a fine because my dog is not on a leash. I played dump and said I never heard of that. He repeated that I have to pay a fine several times and we both had extended stares back and forth for uncomfortable moments. Finally I said I'll go to the police station. We had more stares. Long story short, I didn't give him any money, which he was clearly hoping for. After 20 minutes driving through town and getting all the red lights :-) two other policia show up saying they want to do a gun and drug inspection. And so forth and so forth. When it finally became obvious to them they were not getting any money from me they said I'm free to go. I said see ya and drove away. I'll be rigging up some short leashes in back to use in the future. Don't pay mordida!

[Edited on 7-30-2023 by Doug/Vamonos]

[Edited on 7-30-2023 by Doug/Vamonos]

But you knew you were breaking the law requiring you to restrain your dog. If you break the law, you should pay the ticket. Not your choice to refuse payment due to your disagreement with how you think fines may be handled by government. Those cops would have been right to haul you to jail for refusing a ticket.

SFandH - 7-30-2023 at 08:07 AM

I wonder if there really is such a law, but assuming there is...........

Having a leash on the dog with the end tied to something like a seatbelt is OK?

mtgoat666 - 7-30-2023 at 08:26 AM

I wonder if there really is such a law, but assuming there is...........

Having a leash on the dog with the end tied to something like a seatbelt is OK?

Yes, in Mexicali dogs in automobiles must be restrained.
If you protect yourself with a seat belt, why wouldn’t you protect your child, friend or pet with a restraint?

AKgringo - 7-30-2023 at 08:27 AM

I wonder if there really is such a law, but assuming there is...........

Having a leash on the dog with the end tied to something like a seatbelt is OK?

The La Paz cop that was shaking me down for a mordida had the statute downloaded to his smart phone and showed it to me.

I have a harness for my girl that can either be secured with a seatbelt or clipped into a short leash anchored to my roll bar or grab bars. I do that when crossing or heading toward known problem checkpoints, but she had the back seat to herself when I got pulled over near El Cien.

Tioloco - 7-30-2023 at 11:23 AM

I wonder if there really is such a law, but assuming there is...........

Having a leash on the dog with the end tied to something like a seatbelt is OK?

Yes, in Mexicali dogs in automobiles must be restrained.
If you protect yourself with a seat belt, why wouldn’t you protect your child, friend or pet with a restraint?

A dog wearing a seatbelt. ok

mtgoat666 - 7-30-2023 at 11:38 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Tioloco

I wonder if there really is such a law, but assuming there is...........

Having a leash on the dog with the end tied to something like a seatbelt is OK?

Yes, in Mexicali dogs in automobiles must be restrained.
If you protect yourself with a seat belt, why wouldn’t you protect your child, friend or pet with a restraint?

A dog wearing a seatbelt. ok

Dog seat belts are pretty common. Many responsible pet owners use dog safety tethers in autos.

soulpatch - 7-30-2023 at 12:02 PM

"But you knew you were breaking the law requiring you to restrain your dog. If you break the law, you should pay the ticket. Not your choice to refuse payment due to your disagreement with how you think fines may be handled by government. Those cops would have been right to haul you to jail for refusing a ticket.[/rquote]

I do value some of your posts.

But this is just funny.

Why live in a land of malleable and situational law if you can mold it a bit to fit a circumstance?

And, yes, law here is extremely situational and opportunistic, you won't change that, none of us here will.

And, no, going to jail wasn't on the table when Doug volunteered to do the legal thing and go to the station.
Kind of takes anything other than you just obviously stirring the pot out of your self-righteous horse chiite.

Good one!

Anyway, keep up the fishing, plenty of fish in this tiny pond biting.

surfhat - 7-30-2023 at 12:19 PM

Why not leash your ever loving pets for their own benefit?

For decades here in Socal. leashing your dogs in the back of an open pickup truck has been mandated. Abide at your own risk of a deserved citation.

I owned an old pickup truck for a few years and always at the least leashed them in the back bed for a trip to Del Mar dog beach.

Baja? I suspect this provides another opportunity for cops to f with us for mordida. Don't give them the excuse to f with you should be a mantra for every visitor south of the border.

While I took a dog or dogs to Baja for years, I always had a van and was never hassled. Out of sight, out of mind has its value.

For open truck beds or not, do yourself and your loving pets a favor and secure them in whatever way you can. With the love they give us, this should be easy enough to do.

Doug/Vamonos - 7-30-2023 at 06:15 PM

You are a class act old goat man. I’m sharing info about an obvious shakedown. They don’t give a sh*t about enforcing any rules or protecting my dog. They were clearly after a mordida. None of that “fine” would have gone to the community. Go away you old goat.

[Edited on 7-31-2023 by Doug/Vamonos]

Tioloco - 7-30-2023 at 08:26 PM

You are a class act old goat man. I’m sharing info about an obvious shakedown. They don’t give a sh*t about enforcing any rules or protecting my dog. They were clearly after a mordida. None of that “fine” would have gone to the community. Go away you old goat.

[Edited on 7-31-2023 by Doug/Vamonos]

Good info. Like many things in Mexico, we will just have to deal with the selective enforcement of things as they come.

AKgringo - 7-30-2023 at 08:43 PM

To be clear about my shakedown, I was pulled over for a different bullshoot reason. When they saw the dog, they dropped the first reason for pulling me over and concentrated on the loose dog bit.

Tioloco - 7-30-2023 at 08:59 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

To be clear about my shakedown, I was pulled over for a different bullshoot reason. When they saw the dog, they dropped the first reason for pulling me over and concentrated on the loose dog bit.

Yes sir. That is why all of the advice on here about following the rules are so funny.

The rules in Mexico are definitely a MOVING target.

Doug/Vamonos - 7-31-2023 at 05:55 AM

I drive a tall F250 w tinted windows in back. They were in a small patrol car. Maybe they saw my dog barely behind the window but could not possibly know he was not leashed. Dog plus gringo near border probably in a hurry to get home equals good opportunity for mordida. As I said I played their game and said I’d go to the police station and pay the fine. They clearly did not want to do that. Don’t pay mordidas.

BeachSeeker - 8-12-2023 at 09:52 PM

Does anyone have the actual law or code, or whatever they call it? I am wondering what constitutes "restrained"? We travel with a 14lb dog, either laying on the floorboard of the front seat or in the lap of the passenger. After hearing about this law, I attached a 3' leash under the seat that we clip to her harness. Would this count as restrained? My guess is the cops only care about this law because they can use it to extort Americans, seeing as how its no problem to have children in the bed of a truck unrestrained, or 2 year olds standing on the passenger seat unrestrained.

Doug/Vamonos - 8-14-2023 at 05:43 PM

They specifically said the dog must be in a cage or restrained on a leash. In the lap of the driver or passenger will not do it. Nor will sitting anywhere in the car without restraint. I did similar to you. I went to Walmart and bought two cheap ($1.50) 4' leashes that I looped around the seatbelt base and connected to the dog's collars when I drive through Mexicali. They were securely tethered but still had enough leash to move around in the back seat and look out the windows. Honestly they didn't even seem to notice anything was different. But I don't think you will be safe since you are restraining the dog in the front. I think they want them in back away from the driver. And regardless of how the law is written, you want to please the local policia. And they want the dogs in back. Good luck.

BeachSeeker - 8-14-2023 at 09:27 PM

They specifically said the dog must be in a cage or restrained on a leash. In the lap of the driver or passenger will not do it. Nor will sitting anywhere in the car without restraint. I did similar to you. I went to Walmart and bought two cheap ($1.50) 4' leashes that I looped around the seatbelt base and connected to the dog's collars when I drive through Mexicali. They were securely tethered but still had enough leash to move around in the back seat and look out the windows. Honestly they didn't even seem to notice anything was different. But I don't think you will be safe since you are restraining the dog in the front. I think they want them in back away from the driver. And regardless of how the law is written, you want to please the local policia. And they want the dogs in back. Good luck.

Did they say the dog had to be in the back? I fully understand the enforcement is probably very fluid, based on the situation. That is why I was hoping to get the actual letter of the law. "Restrained" is a pretty broad word. I'm hoping leashing the dog like we do is within the letter of the law, even if the policia interpret it differently during a shakedown, I'd rather be in the right.

mtgoat666 - 8-14-2023 at 09:46 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BeachSeeker

I assume you would buckle in your child or grandchild. So why do you not care enough about your pet to restrain them so they can survive a rollover or head on collision?

mtgoat666 - 8-14-2023 at 09:49 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BeachSeeker

Does anyone have the actual law or code, or whatever they call it? I am wondering what constitutes "restrained"?

How do you restrain a human being so they can survive rollover or head-on collision? Doesn’t your dog deserve to survive a crash? Should you be better protected than your loved ones? You are the driver, so you are responsible for your pet’s life.

BeachSeeker - 8-14-2023 at 10:00 PM

Get off of your soapbox already. This has nothing to do with the policia caring about the life of your pet, while the familia drives by with their kids in the bed of the truck. Even in America, the few places that do have dog restraint laws are there specifically to keep the pet from distracting the driver, and have nothing to do with pet safety. I asked if anyone knew the letter of the law, a simple "no" would suffice.

Phil C - 8-19-2023 at 08:18 AM

I'll ask again, anyone have the actual law, so that maybe we could carry a copy for reference?

BeachSeeker - 8-19-2023 at 09:36 AM

Thanks for the attempt Lencho. The first link is the only thing official, and the only mention of pets I could find is Article 59 saying that drivers are prohibited from having children, pets, or objects on their laps. No mention of restraining pets.

mtgoat666 - 8-19-2023 at 10:19 AM

You need to look up the Mexicali municipal code…
https://www.mexicali.gob.mx

Doug/Vamonos - 8-19-2023 at 11:39 AM

So your intention is to play lawyer on the side of the road with the policia and to argue about a law as to whether your dog can sit on the front floor and you are going to show them your printout? Seriously? Good luck with that! I'll wave and laugh as I drive past you.

BeachSeeker - 8-19-2023 at 03:04 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho

If you want the specific law for Mexicali, for example, it's in the REGLAMENTO DE TRÁNSITO PARA EL MUNICIPIO DE MEXICALI, BAJA CALIFORNIA, Artículo 54, fracción XXIII, which prohibits:

"XXIII.- Transportar animales en vehículos de motor, ya sea en el interior o en la cajuela de los mismos, sin sujeción a una correa o caja de traslado;"

Thanks Lencho. I think I'll just get one of the leashes that attaches to the seatbelt receptacle. Seems like that is legal.

So your intention is to play lawyer on the side of the road with the policia and to argue about a law as to whether your dog can sit on the front floor and you are going to show them your printout? Seriously? Good luck with that! I'll wave and laugh as I drive past you.

No, my intention is to know the law so that I can operate my vehicle legally.

[Edited on 8-19-2023 by BeachSeeker]

Phil C - 8-20-2023 at 01:19 PM

Thanks Lencho , this clarifies that a leash should be accepted as well as a cage. I'll wave back to Doug! :biggrin:

Lee - 8-20-2023 at 01:30 PM

Doesn't matter when the law was enacted or what it means generally, or specifically. The law is interpreted by police and gringoes are the targets.

Seriously doubt MX's are cited for any violations around restraints.

Tioloco - 8-20-2023 at 01:34 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Lee

Doesn't matter when the law was enacted or what it means generally, or specifically. The law is interpreted by police and gringoes are the targets.

Seriously doubt MX's are cited for any violations around restraints.

Bingo

mtgoat666 - 8-31-2023 at 04:41 PM

Here are some stats. In USA:
>100,000 dogs die each year from riding in pickup beds unrestrained (many more are maimed or injured)
By comparison, 43,000 people die each year from vehicle accidents

An unrestrained pet that weighs 50 pounds, in a 35 mph collision, can be projected forward with 1,500 pounds of force

Tioloco - 8-31-2023 at 05:18 PM