Why dogs should not ride in the back of pickup trucks

First, it's illegal in the state of Washington...well, sort of... Second, as I was walking this weekend with Scout and Ziggy along a stretch of road in Cle Elum, I saw a flash of fur as a dog, seemingly out of no where, hit the pavement, rolled about three feet in front of me, coming to a stop when it slammed against the curb. At first I thought it'd been hit by a car, which is horrific enough...when in fact, it'd jumped from of the back of a pickup truck going about 35 miles per hour. The dog slowly got up and limped toward me, injured and bleeding. Its front right leg was most likely broken and its nose was scraped and bloody. It was horrible...absolutely horrible. The owner scooped the dog up and was gone before I could even say anything...I was in shock, I think the owner was in shock, and the dog was definitely in shock.

It is estimated that at least 100,000 dogs die each year when tossed from pickup trucks (or in this case, jump from a moving pickup truck). The state of Washington has a law which says: "Any person who willfully transports or confines or causes to be transported or confined any domestic animal or animals in a manner, posture, or confinement that will jeopardize the safety of the animal or the public, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor." Okay...

Oregon has a state law that prohibits a dog from being in the back of a pickup "unless the dog is protected from falling from the vehicle." Even more vague...

I think the laws should be stronger...but, it is still up to each owner to use common sense. Unfortunately, from first hand experience...this isn't always the case.

Brandie Ahlgren, founder & editor
CityDog Magazine