Inside Looking Out

Dear Inside:

Actually, I hope to be able to convince your friend's owner NOT to let HIM ride in the back of the truck. You see, your owner is just trying to insure your safety and be certain that you will be around to travel with him for many years to come. Riding in the back of the pick-up truck is very, very dangerous for your friend. While he may be having fun, he would be seriously hurt or killed if his owner had to make a sudden stop or was involved in an accident. He would easily be thrown either around the inside of the truck bed, or worse right out of the truck and on to the roadway--many dogs die this way every year! And even if that never happens, dust and gravel from the road or other foreign matter can easily get into his eyes and ears, causing irritation or injury--which is why your owner makes you keep your head inside the vehicle. Sitting in the back of the truck alone when his owner gets out could lead to his getting lost or injured if some distraction were to cause him to jump out. There are lots of fun things for dogs to do, but riding free in the back of trucks should not be one of them.