A New Jersey man was charged with animal cruelty after police spotted him driving his motorcycle with his small dog on his lap, police say.



Gyula Szatmari was headed home to Tuckerton from his job in Roselle Park when he was pulled over in the rain on Route 18 in Marlboro. The 56-year-old was issued citations for careless driving and the improper transportation of an animal.



Szatmari told police that he had been riding his bike with his dog “Bosco” for years, Monmouth County SPCA Chief Victor “Buddy” Amato told the Asbury Park Press.



Amato, who was the first to spot the biker-dog duo and call police, told the Asbury Park Press that the biker was warned against transporting the dog this way last year.



Szatmari is scheduled to appear in Municipal Court on Oct. 13.

