Dogs in the back of a pick-up truck?...your opinion.

When I was growing up we always had our dogs in the back of the pick-up but only for short trips to neighbors, if we ever took any dogs to town it would be in the front seat.
I saw was a german shepard in the back of a truck when the owner stopped at a red light the dog jumped out of the back to go take a pee as the dog was coming back to jump back in the man drove away leaving his dog . My friend and I called him over so he wouldn't get hit by any cars. I couldnt believe the guy didnt even notice. Things could have turned out way worse. It ended up the mans wife found out what happened and I guess she had a talking to him and I never saw the dog in the back of the truck again.lol

 
 
 
Wow, a good outcome from a bad situation...........[]

I do not care if a human CHOOSES to ride in the back of a truck...personally I LOVE it!!  But, that is a choice that I have made for myself.  If there is an accident or if I fall out etc...that is a choice that I have made for myself and I have to suffer to concequences of my actions.  We are responsilbe to make safe decisions for our pets.  There are tons of things that I am sure that our guys would love to do cause it would be fun and exciting but, we know it is either not safe or it is not healthy for them, so we avoid exposing them to these things.  Same thing with dogs in the beds of trucks. I would never let my son do it, therefore never my dog.  We try our best to keep them safe.  Sometimes s**t happens and there is nothing you can do to avoid a situation but, to go through life knowing that you had made a safe choice but, circumstances were unavoidable or to go through life thinking "What if"  is the differance between feeling gulity forever, or feeling as though you did you best that you could to keep them safe.
 
Same thing with children when you hear of parents not buckling their kids or not putting them in the carseats because "it is just around the corner" and unfortunatly it could end up tragic.  Story not too long ago with a lady who was getting a drive home in a truck from a girlfriend cause her husband had taken the car with the carseats.  She put the two kids to the front with her, the truck hit black ice and over the guardrail and off an overpass..Her friend and her lived, her son and daughter died. 3 and 7 the kids were.  It was a stupid decision that she will regret for the rest of her life. (think this was on Oprah, about stupid decisions that end up bad)
 
I don't think that anyone can disagree when we say that in the truck will not avoid injury or death, but definatly less likely to end up tragic.
 
My Brother was in a car accident a few years back.  A serious one.  He was trown through the front windsheild when they hit a tree.  The one thing that saved him life (besides being terribly injured) was NOT wearing a seatbelt, which has happened in many cases.  But, we all still wear our seatbelts. 
 
I guess this is just personal choices made by owners and we just have to feel good about the decisions that we, ourselves, make for our pets whether people agree or not.
 
I am so glad to hear that people are so passionate about this topic.  For or Against! 
 
Thanks for sharing!!

I got this information from the Volunteer Coordinator of the shelter I belong to. That is what she said to all of us at the Volunteer Orientation. Mabye other states have followed our legislation since then? That often happens when new laws are passed. I just checked, and there are only eight other states with such laws, so it would not surprise me. Here is a link: Dogs Riding in Pickup Beds. This info is on several other sites as well. Just search "illegal dogs pick-up".

 
I saw a lot of that information from sites saying it was against the law also by doing searches.  But I wanted to see the actual statute and compare it to see how it is different than what was passed in other states but couldn't find the statute in the RI state web sites.  Could find them for other states so that is why I asked since I can't seem to find it printed in the laws.
 
For example I have seen nowhere where it is totally illegal for a dog to be in the bed of a pickup only that it had to be contained either by teathering or by use of a carrier.  Since you implied that even using a carrier in the back was illegal in your response to Gina I wanted to see how that law read.
 
 

The city of Corpus Christi made it illegal for dogs to ride in the back of a picup unless he is properly restraiend with no chance of being able to go over the the sides and hang himself.  But I still see dogs in the back of trucks.  It is also illegall for children to red back ther--but I still see them doing it. 

We had to keep angel and wysper in the back of the pick up. we have two large dog cages that are bolted to the bed of the pick up.  They have covers so the wind doesnt sting their eyes and they are out of the sun. we had to keep them back there on our trip to OK from Indiana, as we were moving and the truck was BACKED full of stuff.
On the other hand, My grandpa has a black lab, who LOVES to ride in the back, but some ones always back there with him holding a leash. most of the time  my grandpa  normally takes  his fishing van. So luke is rarely in the back of the pickup.
 
On the flip side though, if you have room in the cab for a dog. It sould be in there with you. If you dont have room,  and you aren't willing to ride in the back or take proper precautions and such for a dog to be riding back there, then the dog shouldnt go at all.
 

ORIGINAL: timsdat
I saw a lot of that information from sites saying it was against the law also by doing searches.  But I wanted to see the actual statute and compare it to see how it is different than what was passed in other states but couldn't find the statute in the RI state web sites.  Could find them for other states so that is why I asked since I can't seem to find it printed in the laws.

For example I have seen nowhere where it is totally illegal for a dog to be in the bed of a pickup only that it had to be contained either by teathering or by use of a carrier.  Since you implied that even using a carrier in the back was illegal in your response to Gina I wanted to see how that law read.

 
Okay, I misunderstood you.  I couldn't find a statute either.  [linkhttp://www.projo.com/projocars/autoarchive/CA-LAWS_09-13-06_4K203KU.279fc6d.html]THIS LINK[/link] explains the law in an an article in our main newspaper here.  Also, for your information, we are also the first state to make it a written law that people are "guardians" of their dog, and not "owners".  There are cities and towns across the country that have this law too, but not for the entire state like we do. 

Okay, I misunderstood you. I couldn't find a statute either. THIS LINK explains the law in an an article in our main newspaper here. Also, for your information, we are also the first state to make it a written law that people are "guardians" of their dog, and not "owners". There are cities and towns across the country that have this law too, but not for the entire state like we do.

 
Ok found it.  It's in your motor vehicle code.
 
[linkhttp://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE31/31-22/31-22-28.HTM]http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE31/31-22/31-22-28.HTM[/link]
 
§ 31-22-28  Transporting animals. – (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to transport any animal or animals either for business or pleasure on or in an open air motor vehicle unless the animal or animals being transported:
   (1) Is kept in an enclosed area of the motor vehicle;
   (2) The animal or animals are under the physical control of a person other than the operator of the motor vehicle; or
   (3) The animal or animals are placed in the motor vehicle and safely restrained by a harness manufactured for the purpose of restraining animals by means other than neck restraints.
   (b) Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for a first offense, nor more than two hundred dollars ($200) for each subsequent offense.
 
From the way I read it you can use a crate in the bed of a pickup.  See rule 1. 
 
I also saw the guardian stuff.  I feel sorry for you folks.
 
 

Also illegal in MA to have an unsecured dog in the back of a pickup.  Call 911 with the plate number and even if they can't find the vehicle, they can run the plate visit the home of the offender and cite them.   
 
Just my opinion, but if you don't want the dog in the cab of the truck, the next safest place is in a crate secured in the bed of the p/u closest to the cab.  We're not just talking about dogs falling out of the truck here which is a huge issue.  I'm also concerned about road debris, like rocks, flying up and hitting the dog. 

ORIGINAL: timsdat

I also saw the guardian stuff.  I feel sorry for you folks.

Feel sorry?  Huh?  Please explain. 

Hmm?

Feel sorry? Huh? Please explain.

 
IT's AR speak.
 

It is illegal here.  Frankly I don't have a problem with people who have dog boxes or well secured crates in the back of their truck with their dogs in them.  I absolutely have a problem with the dogs who are totally free, and frankly have even more of a problem with the dogs who are tethered.

Why do I have more of a problem with the tethered dogs?  Well when I was younger there was a local incident where a dog who was tethered jumped out of the truck anyway.  The driver didn't notice and the dog ended up degloving his tail and hind legs and died from strangulation as he essentially hung himself.  So incredibly disturbing and sad

timsdat

nocturnal

Feel sorry? Huh? Please explain.

IT's AR speak. 

The change from "owner" to "guardian" is part of the Animal Rights movement's attempt to control or eliminate pet ownership.  You can't go to court and successfully sue for "ownership" without adequate legal grounds, but you might be able to successfully sue for "guardianship" based on the "best interests" of the animal.
 
The laws regarding "guardianship" were written for children and for adults who are not capable of taking care of themselves.  AR folks would like to be able to use such ideas to control what owners can do with their animals.
 
Do you want to have to contend with things like going to court to fight someone who is trying to stop you from terminating a litter or from using an experimental medical treatment?  The word "guardian" is a step in that direction.

I drove by a pickup with a HUGE mastiff in the bed

Mary, I saw a guy with THREE HUGE mastiff in the bed of his truck down here in southern NH- however, each were CHAINED... and I'm talking heavy duty chain which was sooo unnecessary.  That chapped my a$$!  Leave the dogs at home, or buy a cap to cover them and extend your AC into the back.

ORIGINAL: SisMorphine

Why do I have more of a problem with the tethered dogs?  Well when I was younger there was a local incident where a dog who was tethered jumped out of the truck anyway.  The driver didn't notice and the dog ended up degloving his tail and hind legs and died from strangulation as he essentially hung himself.  So incredibly disturbing and sad

That very thing happened to my ex-boyfriend's sheepdog. Out on the sheep farms, they usually keep the dogs in the back because they're in and out of the truck all day and I think it's not especially safe to have an unrestrained dog in the cab of a truck, either. In this particular case, my ex-boyfriend's dad was driving into town and the dog was tethered in the back. She fell off and by the time his dad realised, there wasn't much left for them to save. I don't think she even made it to the vet in town. The family was devastated (not only because she was the only well-trained sheepdog they had). It was pretty awful, and it's a common enough story over here in the heartland of the ute. I shudder when I see dogs tethered in a tray with enough slack to go over the side. At least if they aren't tethered they have a chance at survival if they go over. We don't have any laws yet, but there are specially made harnesses you can buy that can be anchored like a child seat so the dog is safe. Sadly, I've never seen one, but I have seen unrestrained dogs perched on the top of a pile of junk in a tray with no sides with the driver doing 80 km/hr.