04 Nov Second Chance: Pups and Pickups!
Since 1994, the Animal Resource Center and the Shops of Second Chance Humane Society (SCHS) have been dedicated to serving animals in Southwestern Colorado. Adoption hours are every day from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The facility is located at 177 County Rd 10, Ridgway, CO. View shelter pets and services online at secondchancehumane.org.
View shelter pets and services online: www.adoptmountainpets.org
Donate here or mail to: PO Box 2096, Ridgway, CO, 81432.
Go here for more about Second Chance.
In a rural community such as ours, people love their pickups and their dogs. While we know we won’t convince the truly committed dog-in-pickup defenders, we encourage everyone to consider the following.
Dogs riding in the backs of pickup trucks can look like they’re having fun, noses testing the wind, and ears flopping freely. They are going places with their parents. However, an estimated 100,000 dogs die every year from falling or jumping off of pickup trucks. If a driver hits a bump, slams on the brakes, or swerves to avoid an obstacle, a dog can easily be thrown from the truck bed.
Then they might die or suffer from multiple fractures, abdominal and thoracic trauma, and severe cuts and bruises. In many cases, dogs who do survive the fall are hit and killed by other vehicles. Additionally, dogs falling or jumping from trucks often trigger car accidents. The metal of the truck bed can burn or freeze dogs’ feet. Dogs riding in the hot sun without shade can suffer from heatstroke. Other risks are eye or ear injuries when bugs, sand, debris, or other objects blow into their faces. The dangers are enough that many states have banned traveling with dogs in a truck bed.
The safest way for a dog to ride in the back of a pickup is in a crate that can’t slide around or tip over. The American Veterinary Medical Association notes: “Dogs can be confined to a truck bed in a secure cage or kennel, but attention must be paid to ensuring appropriate space (sufficient to stand up and lie down, but not enough that the dog can be thrown from one side of the crate/kennel to the other), ventilation, and protection from the elements. Enclosures on a truck bed often accumulate toxic carbon monoxide and provide only limited protection in the event of an accident.”
It’s not safe to secure a dog in the truck bed with a leash or harness either. There have been cases where dogs restrained by leashes or harnesses have been strangled or dragged after being thrown.
So yes, dogs might enjoy riding in the back of pickup trucks. They also enjoy rolling in disgusting stuff and snacking on cat litter box. It’s a pet parent’s job to be a responsible protector of their canine family member. The safest place for dogs is in the car with their people, secure and together. If a trip to town means they will be left alone in a hot truck, they’d be happier staying home.
Nicholas Gilman, Second Chance’s Director of Strategy, Development and Animal Advocacy, adds: “Dogs riding in the open bed of a pickup truck are not safe. We have rescued numerous pets who have been thrown from trucks and survived. We have seen badly injured legs, heads, eyes, etc. Although we recognize this is a sensitive topic for some, we hope people will reconsider before traveling with beloved dogs in the bed of the pickup.”
Bentley
Bentley is a young, intelligent dog in need of a home. He loves people, knows all basic obedience skills, and would thrive in an active home that can keep him enriched.
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