The sight of a dog peeking out of a car window on the road is one as sweet as it is familiar.
But this could be a thing of the past for pet owners in Ireland as transport minister Leo Varadkar is consulting with the Road Safety Authority about keeping all pets securely fastened in a moving vehicle, the Irish Independent reports.
There are no rules about how motorists should restrain dogs and other pets despite the fact that some canine breeds are heavy enough to cause serious injuries to passengers in the event of a collision.
Owners can get harnesses and cages for their hound, which can be easily attached to a seat of a car, from an online pet store.
A spokesman for Mr Varadkar said the issue was receiving "ongoing consideration".
"The general advice is that neither people nor objects, including animals, should be unrestrained when travelling in vehicles," he added.
