Everyone loves going for a ride with their dog. There’s nothing like hitting the open road with your dog by your side.
But with a pet in your vehicle, it’s important to take safety precautions so your fun day out doesn’t turn into a tragedy.
One of the biggest, most common mistakes pet owners make: letting their dogs ride in the back of pickup trucks.
It’s a pretty common sight to see dogs hanging out in the flatbeds of their owners’ trucks, and it’s easy to see why people would assume they were safe.
But in reality these dogs are at risk of injury and death. The American Humane Society says that 100,000 dogs die every year from riding in unsecure flatbeds, according to KHQA.
One reason is simply because it exposes the animals to weather conditions with nowhere to go. Dogs can suffer from heatstroke or frostbite.
But it’s also dangerous simply because a flatbed isn’t a secure place for a dog, and they’re always at risk of falling out and being seriously injured.
“The dog could see something and jump,” Steve Scherer of Quincy Animal Control told KHQA. “Most dogs are smart enough not to, though, but I would worry about getting in an accident – the dog’s going to be a projectile then.”
Veterinarians have reportedly seen many cases of dogs coming in with broken bones from jumping out of flatbeds.
You might think it’s better to tie them to the truck to prevent them from jumping, then… but that poses its own terrifying risk.
“Many dogs have been strangled when tossed or bumped over the side of the truck and been left helplessly dangling,” American Humane says.
With all those dangers, it’s best to not let a dog ride in the back of the truck. But if you really need to, take careful precautions.
“If your dog must ride in the back of the truck, put the pet inside a crate that will give it some protection from the wind and weather,” American Humane says. “Tie the crate securely to the walls of the truck bed, so it cannot slide about or be tossed out of the truck.”
Those statistics are shocking—we’ll never let a dog ride in a flatbed again! Just keep your dog up in the passenger seat by your side!
Share this important warning!
