It’s a sight that we’ve probably all seen in movies: people driving a pick-up truck with their loyal and trusty four-footer casually hanging out in the back truck bed.
Pick-up trucks definitely are versatile and handy for a whole lot of things, and the truck bed seems like an ideal resting place for your animal to hang out in.
And it is – but absolutely NOT while you’re driving.
Driving with dogs in the back of a pick-up truck is completely unsafe!
Source: PexelsIn fact, it’s estimated that over 100,000 dogs die every year in the United States alone because of this practice.
Multiple animal rescue organizations, including American Humane, urge owners of pick-up trucks to be careful when transporting their four-footers. There are numerous accidents with canine deaths related to riding in the truck beds.
The message is absolutely clear: keep your dog in the front in the seat next to you or don’t bring your dog at all.
Source: Michael McCullough
And even though it may look otherwise, some dogs are actually absolutely terrified in the back of a truck and are not having the time of their lives at all. Four-footers can get anxious pretty quickly and even from things such as a sudden wind burst.
One of the main reasons why things end up hurt in the back of pick up trucks is actually pretty simple: some dogs have the tendency to jump when they see something interesting, even in a moving vehicle.
“The dog could see something and jump,” Steve Scherer of the Quincy Animal Control organization said to KHQA.
Source: Mike Baird, Flickr
This could even happen to calm and well-trained dogs, although he says that a lot of four-footers wouldn’t jump.
However, because they’re loose, they’re extremely vulnerable to even smaller crashes, accidents and sudden braking. A dog in a situation like that could end up being a loose projectile.
“Most dogs are smart enough not to [jump],” the man added, “but I would worry about getting in an accident.”
Vets have come across countless dogs with broken bones or injured joints because of them being loose in truck beds.
Source: Alan Levine, Flickr
Another important factor and risk is the fact that the animals are completely exposed to the weather if they’re simply hanging in the back.
The first thing that comes to mind is burns due to the hot weather, and some poor four-footers even suffer second or third-degree burns on their paws.
Heat strokes can even end up being fatal sometimes.
Even when it’s not hot outside, there are plenty of other risk factors. Heavy winds can put tremendous pressure on a dog’s lungs, and they can also get hit by debris or even insects and pebbles. More dogs have died to due choking in the back of a pickup truck than you might think.
And if you think your dog is safe with a leash, think again.
Source: Alex Beattie, Flickr
Owners often place a great deal of trust in a leash that is attached somewhere to the truck, but it can sometimes make things even more dangerous.
“Many dogs have been strangled when tossed or bumped over the side of the truck,” animal organization American Humane stated.
The same thing can be said for keeping your dog in a cage.
While your four-footer will probably be fine during a trip, he or she won’t be able to escape if there’s an accident. Trapped dogs will likely panic and are a lot more likely to sustain injuries.
Source: apkclass.info
