Pick-ups and pets – a dangerous combo

Dear Dr. Forsythe:  I saw a dog jump out of a moving pickup truck last night, and I had to write in because it was so un-nerving to me that I almost crashed when it happened.  I had been driving on Highway 37 in very slow traffic coming home from work.  I noticed that the big Golden Retriever loose in the bed of the pick up in front of me seemed anxious.  He was pacing all around and looking over the edge of the railing like he might jump.  I didn’t think much of it because I assumed that his owner must have trained him to ride there.  I also thought he must have been attached by a leash or something.  Well I was wrong on both accounts.  A very loud motorcycle zoomed up in between the traffic and I saw the dog jump right out of the side of the truck and land on the ground rolling, he tried to get up a couple times then fell down again, still.  I honked my horn and pulled over. Two other cars pulled over as well.  Finally somebody got the guy in the pickup to pull over – he didn’t know his pet had jumped out until he was flagged down.

Please spread the word about how dangerous it is to have dogs in the back of pick ups.  They can get hurt, and if this dog had jumped out the other side, could have caused a serious traffic accident as well.  I’m lucky I didn’t get hurt or hit his dog, and the experience was very traumatic for me to witness. – J.M. Vallejo

Dear J.M:  Thank you for pulling over when you saw this abused animal in need of help.  Yes, abused.  Anyone who transports a dog in the back of a pickup truck with out properly cross-tethering him to the vehicle is placing the dog in extreme jeopardy.  State law requires that animals be protected in a manner that prevents them from falling, jumping, or being thrown from a vehicle.

A person is complying with state law if:

1. The cab space is enclosed

2. The space has racks on all open sides with adequate height and density to retain the animal.

3. The animal is cross-tethered to the vehicle.

4. The animal is transported in a cage or container secured to the vehicle.

Dogs who are riding in the back of pickup trucks may look like they’re having fun.  But when you transport your dog this way, you endanger the dog and other motorists.  This practice is not only dangerous but illegal in many states.  I hope that the Golden Retriever’s injuries were not too serious and he will be okay.  I also hope that the CHP was notified so that his owner will receive a citation for transporting a dog illegally in the back of a moving vehicle.  Most of all, I hope that the person who had to flag down this nimrod to inform him that his pet had jumped from his moving truck gave him a thorough brow beating at the same time.  While the empathic Dr. Forsythe realizes that this owner suffered plenty knowing his pet was injured, the more emotional Dr. Forsythe hopes that none of the bystanders held back in letting this cretin know what a thoughtless and wreckless pet owner he is.  Thanks for writing in and informing all of us about an important topic. – Dr. F