New Bill Would Ban Dogs From Sticking Their Heads Out the Window in Maine

Strap your dogs in, folks, cause this could get hairy.

As reported by the Portland Press Herald, a bill currently pending in the Maine legislature could put some specific restraints on how your dog can ride with you in the car. Now, and as it has been for, well, ever, dogs have been free to roam around your car while you drive, amusingly sticking their heads out the window, and leaving an adorable trail of slobber in the air, bound directly for the windshield of the driver behind them. The new proposed regulations would take away dogs right to do this, and even ban them from sitting in passengers' laps. Because, you know, "Chair Dogs" has a much better ring to it, we guess.

The bill was brought fourth by Democratic Representative Jim Handy of Lewiston, who is concerned with the safety of drivers with unrestrained dogs in the car. He views the dogs as a potential distraction, and even a threat to the safety of passengers, should they interfere with the driver in any way. He himself isn't sure whether or not he supports the bill, he just thought it needed to be brought up and discussed. NOTE: Jim, if you want a flurry of negative responses to an original idea in the future, we recommend posting a video on YouTube next time.

As you could imagine, many dog owners are not terribly happy about the idea of new regulations. Just about any dog owner, or anyone that's seen a movie about dogs, could tell you that dogs LOVE sticking their heads out of windows, and as dog owners, they just want to make their little furry friends happy. What's your opinion on this divisive new bill? Tell us, WITHOUT BARKING, in the comments!