YEKATERINBURG, February 16. /TASS/. Traffic police in the town of Surgut, western Siberia, fined a female driver 500 rubles ($8) because her dog was not wearing a seatbelt, the driver told TASS on Monday.

Anna Shelygina said her dog, an American Staffordshire Terrier, was fond of taking a ride in the front seat and looking at the road.

"A police officer said the dog in the front seat was considered a passenger and had to wear a seatbelt," the driver said, addding that she would not pay the fine as "there is no law saying animals should wear seatbelts".

Meanwhile, local police said that in Shelygina's case, the dog was not a passenger but luggage, and had to be fastened with a seatbelt.