Dangerous to Transport Dog in Bed of Pickup Truck

If a dog must sit in the bed of a pickup, there must be measures taken to prevent debris from hitting the dog.

Putting a dog in the back of an open pickup truck on a hot day subjects him to sunburn and burns to his paws from the hot metal bed. Mark1260423/Shutterstock

Q: I was driving behind a pickup truck that swerved to avoid a deer. A dog in the bed of the pickup was thrown out and badly injured.

Thank goodness he didn’t strike my windshield and I didn’t hit him. Still, the experience taught me that it’s dangerous to transport a dog in the bed of a pickup. Is it also illegal?