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Travelling with dogs in a pick up?


scotslad
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Alright folks

 

This may sound a stupid question

But wot is the legalities of travelling with dogs in the back of a pick up? (in scotland if that makes a difference)

 

Been mentioned in passing a couple of times at local shoots last few days and meant to ask pickers on shoot tody as quite clued up.

Does ur dogs have to be restrained? Have had a look at the useal places basc/sga and googe but nothing really coming up.

Some were saying dogs should be in a box/crate r even in the back under a canopy but it has to be sub divided?

Found some articles but more relating to dogs loose on back seats r loose in back with no canopy (my dogs are in back under the canopy)

 

Cheers

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I think common sense says don't put loose dogs in an open pick up bed. Just asking for trouble. Like letting your dog hang out of the window. A friend visting Tenerif took a taxi and the driver only had a stub for a left arm half way up his bicep. He asked what happened and he said he had his arm out of the window holding the roof on, when a truck went by.   Dgs hanging out of truck beds and windows are a menace.  I do not know of any law which dictates you have to have them restrained inside the cab or canopy but again for the sake of the dogs well being it is good to have them in a dog box.

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I'm 28yrs out of date so just did a quick bit of research.  the Highways Act covers it and all pets must be restrained when in a vehicle to prevent it being thrown forward in the event of a crash or heavy braking.  A restraining belt/collar or a dog box or dog guard.  I would believe that dogs in a canopy in the rear of a pick up truck with a gate on the canopy would be considerd restrained as they canot be thrown forward into the cab area.  Top prize is a £5000 fine.

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That can't apply to a canopy on a pickup. It is in a separate compartment from the driver and is restrained from going through the windscreen by the window on the front of the canopy and the rear screen on the pickup.

Highway code rule 57.

Edited by walshie
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Sorry i should of made it clearer my dogs are in the back under the canopy so totaly enclosed but do have the whole back bunk of pick up.

On way home usually all jacketted up plus a few rugs/vet beds in the back to try and dry them off (thats me just threw the final bag of logs on the kennel log burner to dry the dogs out after today, really spoilt)

 

Wot a couple were saying was they should still be inside some sort of dog box, seemingly a company is making dividers to make divide the back up and that would be legal.

I can vaguley remember some sort of law change (tpical scootish NUMPTY party thing) but haven't managed to find anythig online mentioning.it yet.

I have a vague feeling under some random animal welfare act?? and knowing holyrood it could be very bizarre

 

Hopefully seeing walshie/walkers reply they may have misunderstood the 'retrained' part

 

I mind quite a few yyears ago now a guest turned up to shoot on our wee shoot, 2 dogs on the back of a dropside tipper, travelled about 50 miles on Mway, no box , no shelter, not strapped on, i can still mind it was a miserable day weather wise had a flight at ducks to finish and his poor dogs had to travell all the way back after woringhard all day and wet on the back of this motor. Poor mutts

Edited by scotslad
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I live in Scotland and have had an l200 with canopy for years. The dogs are restrained by virtue of being in the rear canopy. When I go out on the Estate and use public roads we use their vehicles and again all dogs are in the canopy area. Not once has there been any discussion about the legality and given this is one of the biggest sporting estates in the UK it would have. So my conclusion unless proven wrong is there is nothing illegal about it the dogs are restrained in the rear loading area of a commercial vehicle.

As to practicality my four labs are in a newly purchased dog box. That way they are separated from my shooting kit, dead game etc but that is my choice. Dog box or not they are trained not to even put their paws on the tailgate unless called out individually.

 

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Cheers dave

I think i was on the neighbouring estte to u yest. (seen u mention them before) (be over the back of the 'slate quarry' drive if u still do it)

Been a good few years since i picked up there tho.

 

 

Thats wot i use back seats for all my junk etc

Thats the problem with dog boxes not many can handle more than 4 lab sized dogs and then u use up a lot of space in the back so if u have to drive other pickers about u'vr no room for their dogs

Edited by scotslad
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1 hour ago, snow white said:

Must be restrained in the back of vehicle to stop them running into road in case of a accident.

our dogs are i a dog hammock on back seat of motor.

So in that case they should be in a box??

 

I know i flipped a pick up on black ice on Mway a few years ago and dogs, guns, ammo, tools where flung all over the road as fibreglass canopy just disentegrated. (Dogs were fine)

Thankfully the polis had just shut the road and i was 1 of last cars up as so slippy and dangerous was acidents everywhere

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Many moons ago back in the early 70s I used to occasionally shoot with Geoff Turner who had a sporting hotel in the little village of Glyn Ceiriog. One estate he used to arrange shooting at was Aqualate Hall.  We stood in the car parking area one morning and up drove a hard top MGB. The lady got out and opened the back door and four or five labradors jumped out .

How they managed to all fit in, heaven knows, but I have rarely seen a better trained team of dogs ever.  She let them have a quick scoot round and then on one command they all sat in line.

At the end of the day, she opened the back of the MGB and they all jumped in and she drove off.    There is no way those dogs could be flung forward they were all so tightly packed.

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A picker up I know had a gate system over draws under a canopy in his pickup, he was stopped on the A66 trans pennine route by a traffic cop. He was told his set up was illegal. He's now got a separate box inside the canopy, he's not someone to spend brass so I suspect his story is true. 

I also know an ex traffic cop that picks up & he also has a box in his pickup.

I have a cab box in my pickup, the first thing that's coming off in a serious impact is the canopy, it'll either shatter or the brackets will snap. If my dogs do survive an impact I don't want them running round the road.

i suspect it's another vague law, a bit like what speed limit you're supposed to obey in a pickup.

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Cheers perce.

The problem i have is that with a box i'd never fit all my own dogs in pick up never mind anyone elses,  on grouse wouldn't be unusual to have 10+ dogs come out the back

Even on pheasants i usually tow a mates dog trailer and have 9-10 dogs between the pair of us.

 

But is a dog trailer any different still really only 1 skin of protection if there was a crash

 

Ps i can see the 'vague' speed limit n pick ups being more enforced by these smart cams/anpr cams as wil know if if registered as dual purpose (higher speed limits) or light commercial, as ur right most traffic cops would never know

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There's no law about dogs not being able to get out in case of an accident. If that was the case, should we board our windows up in case one breaks? The law says they shouldn't be able to distract you or injure you in case of an accident. 

Rule 57

When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.

A dog in the canopy of a pickup can't do any of those things.

Edited by walshie
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13 minutes ago, Old farrier said:

Just wondering what set up police dog handlers have in there motors 

Any i've seen are quite good set ups with individual cages/boxs for the dogs.

My mates alwys eyeing up ex polis dog handlers vans on ebay as look the business they waythere kitted out.

If u go on u might see some, nt something i'm ever on really

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