AVMA Warns Against Dogs Traveling In Truck Beds
Dogs transported unsecured in the cargo area (truck bed) of vehicles such as pick up trucks are at risk of injury if they jump or are thrown from the vehicle.
WELFARE CONCERNS
Injuries incurred by dogs falling or jumping from truck beds or falling within truck beds are less common than injuries incurred by free-roaming dogs struck by vehicles. However, like injuries resulting from vehicular strikes, truck bed injuries tend to be severe and multiple and include fractures and abrasions.1,a A surveya of veterinarians in Massachusetts found 141 practitioners (71% of those surveyed) had treated a total of 592 dogs that year that were injured as a result of riding in a truck bed. Data relating to dogs are limited, but data collected regarding human truck bed passengers indicate they are at significantly greater risk of injury2 and death3 than passengers riding in the cab. Riding in a truck bed may place dogs in contact with shifting loads sufficient to cause injuries and, if the truck bed is uncovered, expose them to road dust, debris, and heated metal surfaces.
Read more on the AVMA web site.
