The Dog Days of Summer: Transportation Dangers - Open-Bed Trucks & Convertibles

Most people think of a black lab with flapping jowls in the back of a Ford pick-up truck as a picture of Americana...  but ejections, jump outs & eye injuries are no laughing matter! 

Besides - it's against the law in Massachusetts.
 
Dogs who are riding in the backs of pickup trucks may look like they're having fun.  Noses held high and ears flopping in the wind, they take in the sights and sounds of their journey.  But riding in open-bed trucks and convertibles can be very dangerous for our furry friends.  When you transport your dog in the open bed of your pickup, you endanger both your dog and other motorists.  Dogs can easily fall, jump, or be thrown from the vehicle.  Even the most well behaved and trained canine may not be able to resist jumping out – the impulse to follow the scent of a bitch in heat or chase that cat he just saw, may be too tempting. 

If your truck hits a bump, step on the brakes suddenly or swerve to avoid an obstacle, your dog can easily be thrown from the truck bed and onto the road.  People have the ability to anticipate a short stop and brace themselves - dogs are merely projectile objects.  In many cases, dogs that manage to survive the fall are hit and killed by other vehicles.  There is also the possibility that other motorists may cause an accident while swerving to avoid your dog.

AVOID TRANSPORTING ANIMALS IN OPEN-BED TRUCKS!
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90 Section 22H states that no person shall transport any animal in the back of a motor vehicle in a space intended for any load on the vehicle on a public way unless:

• the space is enclosed or has side and tail racks to a height of at least 46 inches extending vertically from the floor;
• the animal is cross-tethered to the vehicle;
• the animal is protected by a secured container or cage;
• or the animal is otherwise protected in a manner that will prevent the animal from being thrown or from falling or jumping from the vehicle.

Violation of this law is punishable by a fine not less than $50. 

Other states that have laws prohibiting and/or restricting animals in cargo beds of truck include: Florida, New Hampshire, California, Rhode Island, and Oregon .
 
Prior to this law passing in 1998, in a statewide survey by the Massachusetts Society for the Protection of Animals, 71 percent of Massachusetts veterinarians reported having treated animals (mostly dogs) injured as a result of riding unsecured and unprotected in the back of open-bed vehicles.  This survey concluded that 141 veterinarians in the state had treated 592 dogs that had been ejected from truck beds – in one year alone.

PROTECT YOUR DOG'S EYES AND EARS  
Being ejected is not the only cause of injuries.  

• Bugs, sand, debris, or other objects may cause serious injury and/or corneal ulcers when trucks or convertibles travel at high speeds.

Keep in mind that other dangers include: long exposure to the hot sun, extreme cold or carbon monoxide poisoning.  Even the hot metal of the truck can burn their feet. 

The solution is simple, bring your dog up front in the cab with you.  If you can’t, then secure your dog in a kennel fastened to the truck. 
Or... leave your dog at home – it may save its life!

Reference:  
    MSPCA (Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)
    HSUS (Humane Society of the United States)