Ford: Dogs ride inside, not the truck bed

 Who remembers this commercial from 1998?

Notice where the dog is sitting -- inside the truck.

We've all seen it -- a dog sitting in the back of the pickup truck as the owner flies down a road. Sometimes the dog looks happy to be back there -- sometimes they look like this one below.

Courtesy of Listener42 via Flickr Creative Commons

 A company more well known for its trucks is trying to change that.

Ford Motor Company has joined up with the American Humane Association to tell pickup drivers: Dogs Ride Inside.

The AHA and Ford say an estimated 100,000 dogs die every year while riding in truck beds, either through car crashes or the dogs jumping out of the truck bed. The stats come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Many more dogs are seriously hurt.

Photo courtesy of Hectorir via Flickr Creative Commons.

Ford and AHA do not even want you to transport your dog in a crate in a pickup truck.

Admittedly, this is not an easy thing for truck owners. Not every truck has a lot of space in the cab, especially if you have a big dog. But if you can't fit your dog in the cab -- maybe you should leave your dog at home. Why take the risk that your dog gets hurt?

Photo courtesy of Michaelcrane123 via Flickr Creative Commons

Ford and AHA also offer these tips for pets riding in any vehicle:

• At the very minimum, your pet should always ride in the back seat if your truck has one. An animal in the front seat can quickly become a driver distraction and cause an accident, jeopardizing the pet and everyone else in the vehicle. The highest volume F-Series trucks – the F-150 SuperCrew^® and Super Duty Crew Cab both have spacious second-row seats ideal for man’s best friend. Better yet is to restrain, contain or crate your pet with a pet carrier or specially designed pet seatbelt.

• Dogs love sticking their heads outside of a moving car, but that’s also one of the easiest ways for a pet to be injured, whether it’s from a flying rock or even falling out of the vehicle. It’s OK to briefly roll the window down to satisfy a curious nose, but not more than that. Wind can seriously irritate mucous membranes and blow pieces of grit into their eyes.

• Just in case you and your pet become separated, be sure that all ID tags are properly affixed to your pet’s collar and that they have your current contact information, including cell number(s). Your pet should also have an ID microchip implanted – and make sure the microchip registration and pet license information is up-to-date. Consider including the name and phone number of an emergency contact.

• Never leave pets unattended inside of vehicles. Remember that cars heat up fast – even with the windows cracked.

This last point is really important. Last month I parked next to a truck. When I got out of the car I heard a dog barking a high-pitched back, but I couldn't see one. I finally looked in a truck -- someone left a puppy in the truck bed. Is this really necessary? Just leave the dog at home.