Why? Why didn’t you hear me when I honked my horn? Your dogs, yes the two in the back of your pick up. Well, I wanted to tell you how gorgeous they are and what a gift to own two healthy dogs. I am sorry you didn’t hear me. I hope you don’t pay attention to your dogs like you did my honking. You should be watching with eagle eyes those sweet pups for their safety and others.
Back in the day when the roads were not populated like they are today, this was a familiar sight. Heck people and kids used to ride in the backs of pickup trucks on farms and in little towns. Today, the roads are overpopulated, highways are the main route of travel, and it is just not safe for anything to ride unprotected in the back of any open bed vehicle. I have heard many people say that their dog loves to ride “back there.” And then I see the dog crunched down as the vehicle moves at rapid speeds. Let me tell you, your dog doesn’t enjoy it, your ego does. Those metal beds (and plastic ones too) heat up super-fast from the blazing sun, and your dog’s paw pads burn along with their skin when they lie down to feel safe. When you slam the brakes and your dog goes flying smacking into the back of your cargo cab or worse he gets ejected, it hurts. As your dog jumps onto the pavement (or is ejected) as the truck keeps moving, he experiences severe road rash, broken bones, and possible death from another car. Oh, I know these scenarios have never occurred to you and your dogs. I understand, and we all say that until it happens to us, to ours, and then it’s too late. What if you get into an accident? Your dog is sure to be ejected and unlikely to survive.
And what about that honking? Are you so consumed with self that you don’t listen to what’s going on around you as you drive? As an avid runner, running along the streets of our awesome community I have been barked at from dogs in an open bed pick up. It is a frightening experience, especially when not expecting. The loud bark from a canine has made me almost jolt out of my skin. I have personally witnessed dogs bound out of an open bed truck as the vehicle was moving. Dogs love to smell and see all that there is as the car zips down the road. For some, the curiosity is too overwhelming, and they jump after another dog (innocently being walked by its owner), chase a cat, a squirrel, or who knows what entices them to take that often painful leap. It saddens me that owners of very well cared for dogs would place them in such a manner that jeopardizes their safety and others.
The consequences are tremendous for something you can easily avoid. It’s simple. LEAVE YOUR DOG AT HOME or PLACE HIM IN THE CAB WITH YOU!
