Editor:
The practice of transporting people in the bed of a pickup truck was outlawed in B.C. years ago because of injuries and deaths when passengers were tossed out in crashes or simply fell out while the truck was in motion.
I was once following a truck heading home from camping that had a young Rottweiler in back, which flew out of the back on a sharp corner.
The driver did not realize his dog had gone flying out onto the roadway before sliding down the hillside into the bush. I rescued this seriously injured puppy from far below the road and reunited him with its frantic owner who eventually turned around.
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At the very least dogs should be tethered in the middle of the front of the truck box so they can’t jump out.
Even better is to crate them and secure with tie downs. Our dogs travel inside the vehicle with safety harnesses that attach to the seatbelts for maximum protection.
Many people say their dogs are like their children.
Treat them as such and keep them safe.
You wouldn’t drive around with kids running around the back of a pickup truck would you?
Don Pitcairn
Surrey, B.C.