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Distracted driving legislation status_November 2012

Arizona
Drivers with pets on their laps can be charged under existing distracted-driving law.
Enacted

California
The law would have explicitly made it illegal to drive with a dog in one’s lap.
Passed by legislature in 2008, but vetoed by then-Gov. Schwarzenegger. (Although the law did not go into effect, the LAPD states that it will ticket people with dogs on their laps for driving at an unsafe speed, arguing that there is no safe speed at which one can drive with a pet on one’s lap.)

Connecticut
Drivers with pets on their laps can be charged under existing distracted-driving law; fines range from $150 to $400. “No person shall engage in any activity not related to the actual operation of a motor vehicle that interferes with its safe operation on a highway.”
Enacted

Hawaii
It is illegal to drive with a pet on one’s lap. Per Hawaii Statutes, Section 291C-124, (b): “While operating a motor vehicle, no person shall hold in the person’s lap, or allow to be in the driver’s immediate area, any person, animal, or object which interferes with the driver’s control over the driving mechanism of the vehicle.”
Enacted

Illinois
April 2012, the chairman of the Illinois Senate Transportation Committee proposed an amendment to Senate Bill 2653 that would have prohibited driving with a pet in one’s lap: “A driver may not hold an animal in his or her lap while operating a motor vehicle.”
Proposed and defeated in the state senate (May 2012).

Maine
Drivers with pets on their laps can be charged under existing distracted-driving law. Excerpted from Title 29-A, M.R.S.A., section 2118: “‘Operation of a motor vehicle while distracted’ means the operation of a motor vehicle by a person who, while operating the vehicle, is engaged in an activity: (1) That is not necessary to the operation of the vehicle; and (2) That actually impairs, or would reasonably be expected to impair, the ability of the person to safely operate the vehicle.”
Enacted

New Jersey
Heads of the state’s Motor Vehicle Commission and SPCA announced in May 2012 that under an existing statute against animal cruelty (N.J.S.A. 4:22-18), drivers with unrestrained dogs could be pulled over and fined between $250 and $1,000 for each offense. Controversy ensued over the interpretation of the law; soon after, rival proposals were introduced in the state assembly—one that would specifically require non-crated cats or dogs to be secured in a seat-belt restraint system (A3221), one that would state that failure to restrain pets in the car is not an offense against animal cruelty law (A3182). Meanwhile, an SPCA spokesman said it is not targeting drivers whose dogs are unrestrained but that the practice is dangerous to both humans and animals.
Existing law on transporting animals uses general language open to interpretation. Summer 2012, rival bills to clarify the state’s policy were introduced in the state legislature’s lower house; both have been referred to committee.

Oregon
The law would make it illegal to drive an animal in one’s lap; the fine would be $90. Senate Bill 160 “creates offense of driver operation with obstructing animal.”
Proposed by a state senator

Rhode Island
The law would make it a distracted-driving violation to drive with a dog in one’s lap. Per proposed House Bill No. 7926: “It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle with a dog sitting in the lap of the motor vehicle operator. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of eighty-five dollars ($85.00); for a second conviction shall be subject to a fine of one hundred dollars ($100); and for a third and subsequent convictions a person shall be subject to a fine of one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125). All violations arising out of this section shall be heard in the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal.”
Proposed by a state representative

Tennessee
April 2012, State Rep. Jim Cobb proposed a bill that would prohibit driving with a pet in one’s lap, or between the driver and the driver’s-side door. Violation would have been a Class C misdemeanor, subject to a $50 fine and up to 30 days in jail.
Proposed by a state representative; defeated in the state senate.

Virginia
Virginia House Bill no. 533 (2008) would have prohibited driving with an animal on one’s lap: “No person shall operate any motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth with an animal on his lap nor shall he permit an animal to impede his free access to and use of vehicle controls or to obstruct his vision.”
The bill was defeated (2008).

According to the Pet Age Retail Report, stores offering grooming services have dropped about 20 percent in the past 3 years. At the same time, those surveyed said grooming services was one of the top services they want to offer in the next year.

Retailers, as well as experts, say while a first look at the numbers may be confusing, it’s definitely not bad news, and attributes it to several factors, including new trends that are emerging in that area, such as mobile grooming, as well as the level of skill it takes to perform the trade.

Chris Watts, owner of The Petropolitan in Dallas, said it’s hard to find groomers who meet his store’s standards, because sometimes someone will be great at using a blade, but not so good with scissors.

Even when a store does find a groomer that’s a good fit, many times they aren’t prepared for all the “extras” that offering the service can bring, including contractual labor issues, liability and both the start up, and ongoing costs, like shampoo, he said.

“You are adding a whole additional piece to the management [of the store],” Watts said. “It’s time consuming. For example, if you’re not a groomer you need to train you and your staff about it so they are knowledgeable to the customer.”

Ginny Anziani, the owner of Doggie U K9 Academy in Bayshore, Long Island, has been offering grooming services since she opened her business 7 years ago.

She explained that at first it was convient because people didn’t have to run to two different places – a class and a grooming salon. As the years went on she noticed the industry becoming more personalized.

Some customers want to deal with a groomer who just does puppy cuts, or someone who specializes in poodles, for example. Since it wouldn’t be cost effective to offer all of those in one place, stores need to find a niche.

In Anziani’s case, her business provides the personalized attention dog owners are looking for. Similar to a hair salon, they only make appointments for one dog at a time.

“Sometimes a dog can be in a grooming shop for five or six hours just hanging out in a crate,” she said. “You bring your dog in, then two hours later when your dog is done, the person gets a call to come and pick up the dog.”

Larry French, owner of Larry’s Tropicals in Saint Marys, Ga., said that customers often have a misconception about nanos.

“People want to buy them because they assume they’re self sustaining. But that’s not true; you have to do regular maintenance,” he said.

Experts caution fishkeepers to be careful when they notice anything going wrong in a nano.

“In small tanks sometimes problems can become magnified due to the small space and volume of water,” explained Emma B. Gardea, Sales and Customer Service Manager at Lifegard Aquatics.

Adam Jackson, of JBJ Aquariums, says to be sure to let nano keepers know of the following information:

• Don’t assume the setup take care of itself. Pay attention and make sure everything looks normal at all times.
  Make a 10- to 15-percent water change weekly. Read as much as you can about the tank and livestock you are choosing before you make a purchase.
• Be smart about the fish and livestock you choose for your nano. You should stick to fish that do not move around a lot in the wild, according to Jackson. Good choices include damsels, clowns, gobies, smaller wrasses.
• Don’t overstock. These tanks are smaller, so you shouldn’t pack it full of fish and livestock.
• Be careful not to overfeed. This is a common mistake among newer hobbyists. It’s a small tank, so too much food will sink to the bottom and ruin your water.

- Bill Kolbenschlag

Q: You are very passionate about producing quality products that are also affordable to the consumer. How do you continue to create that balance and commitment, especially in tough economic times?

Abbey: What’s kept Loving Pets growing in this economy is affordability, innovation and never compromising our commitment to healthy, all-natural and affordable solutions. With rising prices, the economy has made it more difficult to produce healthy all natural treats, but since this is not something we will compromise on, we researched and explored solutions like adding healthy natural ingredients like sweet potatoes and carrots to our mix (never fillers or preservatives).

For our treats that do include grains, we choose health-promoting and antioxidant-rich brown rice, instead of wheat.  The key in our discovery is that our products are not more expensive than products packed with preservatives and fillers.  For our designer and affordable accessories like best-selling Bella Bowls, we can offer consumers stylish, exciting and very affordable stainless bowl options.  Each day, our team continues to challenge ourselves to focus on this balance of creating products that are innovative, wonderful solutions and price competitively — building quality, high end healthy products that people can afford.

Q: Gourmet Meat Wraps, Barksters Krisps, Grill-icious dog treats made from “flame-kissed” meats and Vegitopia are just some of the treats from Loving Pets. Where do you get the inspiration for each new line of treats?

Abbey: Inspiration comes from the consumer and listening to the needs and questions we get at the store level every single day.  We want to know what consumers are asking for.  In the end, it’s not always about what I want to make or what I think is best, it’s understanding what pets and pet-parents want and need, and ultimately that is where we come in is finding new opportunities that improve the lives of pets and people.

Q: Loving Pets is not just about treats, your company also has an extensive pet accessories collection, including Bella Bowls, Black Label Collection and the new slow-feeding accessory Gobble Stopper. Tell me about this product area.

Abbey: Our bowls actually were started at the same time we started making treats in 2005, and were definitely an important foundational category for us.  We wanted to offer a stainless steel option with attractive designs and the affordability people want and need.

From day one, we had great opportunities for production and what was currently on the market at that time was either mass-produced, low quality, and boring bowls or super high-end decorative feeders and bowls exclusive to boutiques.  We knew we wanted to create exciting, decorative, functional, and affordable solutions and we were excited for the opportunity that set us apart.

Our new slow-feeding accessory, the Gobble Stopper, was born out of this same commitment – functional, flexible (fits inside any existing bowl) plus a cute, yet effective, design.  This combination is ultimately in line with our same mission and helps make pets’ lives better with improved digestion.

We created a solution that helps retailers by having an add-on option that fits into any existing pet bowl, where customers can still pick the design style and price point that they want.  Peg or clip strip makes it very space efficient and price competitive for our retail partners too.

Q: Last year PNC Bank featured you as one of their entrepreneurial success stories to grow your business by manufacturing in New Jersey. Why was building and expansion into USA manufacturing so important to you?

Abbey: On a professional level, USA manufacturing was important based on what our consumers were asking for and what they want.  On a personal level, there’s a part of me that learned a lot watching my grandfather’s business and my father’s business.  Long term, for the USA to sustain our economy, there has to be people making things here and selling them to other countries.  We can’t just be importers forever.

We want to build things here and make things here.  I knew we could do our small part and help be part of a longer-term solution in this country by supporting USA farm grown ingredients, creating and build jobs in this country by creating manufacturing on-site in New Jersey, and making great products to sell to the world. I want us to help get this back.

Q: What’s next for Loving Pets?

Abbey: Our goal is to continue to listen to the needs of our human and pet consumers and retail partners, and create high quality, healthy, all natural, and affordable products, in line with our mission.  Tactically, we’re excited to launch several new lines at Global Pet Expo in February, expanding our USA-made treats and innovative accessories for dogs and cats.