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I’m trying to decide which car to buy and one constraint is that it must be possible for us to transport the cat, very occasionally. I’d like to know whether it would be legal, in the UK, for me to carry our cat in a carrier, on my lap in the front passenger seat. If so, that opens up the option of a two seater.

The only legal guidance I’ve found so far states that pets must be restrained.

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While Researching at HighWayCodeUK I came across this article from 24/10/2018, it is possible that minor changes to the requirments or otherwise have been changed since then, but it seems unlikely that it would be vastly different.

In this article, they mention Rule 57 of the Highway Code:

the highway code states: “When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.”

As you said in you question, all pets must be "suitably restrained", underneath this are some examples of how to do this and I asume a carrier would be "suitably restraining your pet.

It seems that carrying your cat in a carrier is legal, although you may be accused of breaking Rule 57 of the highway code for having them on your lap. Although it seems unlikely to me that anything would be taken up on this. Even so my advice would be to put the cat in the back of the car in the carrier as penalties for breaking Rule 57 could be up to £5,000 and nine penalty points. I am led to believe that you can appeal these penalties if you feel you've been wrongly accused although I am unable to find anything specificaly for this Rule, but these are some common reasons for appeal:

  • The contravention didn’t occur the charge is more than the relevant
  • Amount a Fixed Penalty Notice had already been issued you are not the
  • Registered owner/hirer the vehicle was being hired out to someone who
  • Had signed a statement of liability it was being kept by a motor
  • Trader the vehicle was being used without consent

I don't see how any of these relate to your cause, so it is probably better to just follow the Highway Code as best as you can where the guidelines are as vague as in this case.

I hope I answered you question, for more info I have attached a link to The Highway Code.

  • Information about your question is on Page 22/23 (23/24 of the PDF)
  • Information about appeals is on Page 27 of book two (101 of the PDF) and Pages 76/77 (page 158/159 of the PDF).
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    Thank you for this awesome answer, Felix F - I really appreciate the time you put into helping me with this.
    – Eddie
    Commented Apr 17, 2021 at 20:13
  • Do note that the linked version of the Highway Code is not the official version (published on gov.uk at gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code) but a copy by DRIVINGED, the private company who run highwaycode.co.uk. Their copying sometimes contains sloppy formatting errors that actually modify the meaning of the text, so I recommend against reading their version and suggest always reading the gov.uk version instead.
    – Mark Amery
    Commented Sep 30 at 20:35

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