I was driving along Route 183 when I approached a stoplight this past weekend. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary while waiting for the light to turn green. That was until I saw two beautiful yellow Labs stand up in the bed of the truck. I observed them looking around checking out the scenery.
My immediate reaction, well, let’s just say my blood was boiling pretty hot. But I thought let’s wait and see if these two are secured in the bed. I didn’t see any collars or leashes attached to the dogs but my view was obscured since I was sitting lower than the truck. The dogs didn’t walk around. They stood and looked out at the view. They could have been attached by a short leash that couldn’t be seen which would explain why they didn’t move around in the back of the truck.
Let’s say these dogs were secured, it still had my blood boiling. I was asking myself, what can I do?
The truth is nothing. It isn’t illegal to place your dog in the back of a pick up truck in PA. I’m sure most of have witnessed this at some point while driving but doesn’t it seem insane to place a dog in the bed of a pickup truck.
First, many dogs have been killed by riding in this area of the truck. Some jump out while others fall out. In Albuquerque, New Mexico a pitbull named Goliath was tied to a pick-up truck bumper. The owner’s friend had an emergency phone call from his fiancee’ and he couldn’t get the chain off the bumper so he threw Goliath in the back of the truck and drove off ~ WHAT???
A horrible tragedy ensued and Goliath was dragged for three miles. This is what was left of Goliath- paw prints and blood on the pavement. Click picture below to read story and view the news story.
The driver is facing extreme animal cruelty charges. Goliath’s owner, Nick Varela, said he doesn’t agree with the charges because he said it was an extreme accident. He said there was more to the story.
Whatever the story is, why would someone just throw a dog (and it wasn’t his) in the back of a truck while still chained to the bumper?? How stupid are you? Am I supposed to feel sympathy for the driver who knowlingly put that dog in harm’s way and resulted in the death of Goliath?
The same goes with the driver I saw on Rt. 183. I don’t care if the dogs were secure. It is so dangerous to place a dog in the back of a truck when flying debris can hit them or get in their eyes. Or they can jump out or fall out. My husband and I had a friend who did exactly this. He placed his dog in the back of his truck. The dog was “secured” with a leash that was too long. The dog either fell out or attempted to jump out and was hanging by his neck on the side of the truck. Fortunately this former friend saw his dog and saved him. He was ok. But other dogs aren’t so lucky.
In the summertime the beds of trucks are scorching hot from the sun. Can you imagine how hot that is for the dogs’ pads? Why don’t people think? I have seen dogs secured in dog crates in the back of trucks. That is much better. But I feel if you can’t place your dogs in the front of the cab with you, leave them at home. Would you place your children in the back of your truck? Oh yeah, I’ve seen that too- ugh!