----------
> From: Rob Agnew <ragnew@islandnet.com>
> To: dakota@ait.fredonia.edu
> Subject: Re:Dogs in Pickups
> Date: Sunday, September 21, 1997 4:26 PM
>
> At 09:00 AM 9/21/97 -0400, you wrote:
> >Clarification: Any comments I've made reference a carbon monoxide
hazard
> >to anyone riding in a pickup truck's bed refers to doing so when a cap
is
> >in place.
> >
> >And, I'm sure that anyone else's comments about actual fatalities refer
to
> >incidents when a cap was in place. I'm sure that riding in the bed
without
> >a cap isn't a problem as far as carbon monoxide is concerned; however,
it
> >still isn't a wise thing to do, restrained or not (unless you had a
*real*
> >roll bar, not a *light* bar). And I wouldn't put my dogs back there,
> >either, even if they were restrained. Dogs who ride with their heads
out
> >the window are subject to eye injury, so I'm sure the same applies when
> >they're riding in the bed.
(snipped)
> >Dick C.
> Dick:
>
> I'm had Labradors for 20 years. They ride in the back of the pickup,
> inside the cap, each properly crated in a Veri-Kennel. Neither myself,
or
> anybody else in the Retriever Club has had any sort of problem...besides
> that, I like my Dakota too much to have dirty, wet and muddy dogs in the
cab!
>
> As long as you don't have exhaust leaks, I don't see how you can have any
> problems.
> Also, the thought of 85lbs of dog flying around inside the cab if I have
to
> stop suddenly doesn't thrill me...and yes, I know you can buy dog seat
belts.
>
> Cheers.
>
>
> Rob Agnew
> ragnew@islandnet.com
>
> Victoria, B.C.
> Canada
Rob,
I think that you've been lucky with your Labs while riding with them in
older vehicles, although it's safer in new ones. Read on. People have
responded to me that they've read of cases where folks have died while
riding in pickup truck caps . . . even without leaking exhausts. It's
apparently an individual thing with various trucks, depending on such
things as aerodynamics of the cap, whether the tailgate/window fits
tightly, location of tailpipe(s) (before rear wheel/behind rear wheel/under
bumper). I know that, when I was Safety Director at a major military
installation, Dodge vans (full-size) had decals on the opening rear windows
that warned against opening them while the vehicle is running. As you can
imagine, this was a strong matter of interest, since we didn't want to end
up with a bunch of dead soldiers when they arrived at their destination.
Don't forget . . . carbon monoxide is odorless. As for today's vehicles,
I do think that it would be less of a problem, since they burn so clean,
producing little carbon monoxide compared to old vehicles. In fact,
reportedly it's now very difficult to kill yourself in a closed garage with
a modern vehicle running. According to one source, you're likely to run
out of gas before you die.
(P.S. - Please let me know what a Veri-Kennel is. Thanks.)
Por Favore, Non Mi Rompere i Coglioni. Grazie!
Dick C.
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