Whether you’re on the way to the veterinarian’s office with a crying cat or headed to the park to let your dog get out those zoomies, you might let your pet enjoy full rein of the vehicle, just this once.

But is that legal In Kentucky?

According to the American Kennel Club, many states include driving with a pet in your lap in their distracted driving laws. Here’s what to know about how Kentucky law enforcement could decide to handle this situation if you get pulled over.

What does KY law say about driving with a pet in your lap?

There doesn’t appear to be a Kentucky statute that specifically prohibits driving with your pet in your lap. However, the state does have laws against distracted driving, and unsecured pets could fall under that umbrella.

It’s long been established by Kentucky law that the “operator of any vehicle upon a highway shall operate the vehicle in a careful manner, with regard for the safety and convenience of pedestrians and other vehicles.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines distracted driving quite broadly, describing it as “any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system — anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving.”

In Kentucky, the fine for distracted driving, specifically using a mobile phone while driving, is $25 for the first offense and $50 for every offense that follows, as laid out in section 30 of KRS 189.990.

Given the “careful manner” Kentucky drivers are supposed to follow while behind the wheel and the NHTSA’s understanding of distracted driving, having a pet in your lap could reasonably fall into that category.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet includes pets in its messaging about distracted driving and clearly urges drivers to “never drive with your animal seated in your lap or roaming freely.”

The agency recommends placing your pet behind a gate, into a cage or secured in a pet harness while you’re driving. It also advises giving your pet a toy to keep it occupied so you can focus on the road.

Given all this, an argument could be made that a driver is being careless by disregarding what are considered to be the best practices for transporting pets. So while it doesn’t appear driving with your furry friend in your lap is explicitly illegal in Kentucky, it certainly isn’t a good idea, both legally and safety-wise.

Do you have a question about Kentucky law for our service journalism team? Let us know via the Know Your Kentucky form below or reach out to us via email at ask@herald-leader.com.