Third time’s a charm for dog safety bill

The state Senate gave approval to a House Bill 1091 last week. Introduced in the 2012, 2013 and 2014 sessions by Rep. Thomas Willmott, R-Kenner, the bill requires dogs to be crated while riding in the back of pick-up trucks on interstate highways.

According to estimates, 100,000 American dogs die each year from riding unsecured in the back of pickup trucks. They are ejected after an accident, fall out as the vehicle is motion or slide out the back of an open tailgate.

There is a cost — both in terms of lives lost and money spent by the Humane Society and other rescues to repair broken limbs, rehabilitate and re-home injured dogs. The dog owner’s irresponsibility also puts other drivers at risk as they swerve to avoid the animal.

“[Crating] is a safety precaution like wearing a seatbelt,” says Jeff Dorson, executive director of the Humane Society of Louisiana.

So, the bill’s passage seemed like a no brainer. However, last year, when Willmott introduced the same bill, it failed to pass the Senate.

“There was opposition from a couple of independent-minded senators,” reported Dorson last June. “One senator told the bill’s author that he likes to look in his rearview mirror and see his hunting dog’s ears flap in the breeze.”

In the 2013 session, the pro-hunting contingency disparaged the bill as unnecessary and an infringement of Louisianans’ right to transport dogs any way they please. Unfortunately, the group also held enough sway to cause the bill’s withdrawal.

While the same senator raised the ears-flapping-in-the-breeze argument this year, concern for public safety won out. To emphasize the bill’s importance, one legislator asked colleagues to envision a family driving down the interstate at 70 miles per hour and what would happen if a dog fell out of the vehicle ahead of them. The legislator asked them to imagine the danger drivers would also face in swerving to miss the animal.

The senate voted in favor of the measure, which awaits the governor’s signature.

The legislation applies only to dogs in open trucks traveling on interstates — not rural roads or city streets. Still, the hope is owners will kennel or secure the animals throughout the trip.

The Louisiana Animal Welfare Commission was one of the major supporters of the bill. One LAWC member says that if the governor signs the bill, the most important issue this legislation faces will be enforcement. Louisiana has a fair amount of animal cruelty laws on the books. However, to be effective, those statutes must be a law enforcement priority.

Frit is a five-year-old female lab/Bernese Mountain Dog mix. Frit is a super sweet girl who does well with kids and other dogs because she craves attention. She is also crate trained. She belongs to an elderly lady who couldn’t afford to get her dogs spayed/neutered, so they multiplied. While she loves Frit, the woman now has too many dogs. So, she is trying to find Frit a home where the black-and-white beauty can the attention and care she deserves.

Belvadere is a gorgeous orange marble tabby. He is a lap kitty and would love nothing more than to find a companion who will always have time to spend snuggling. This five-year-old gets along with children, dogs and other cats.

Emmy is a darling two-year-old rat terrier/shih tzu mix. Emmy is great with children, cats and other dogs.

Blue Ivy is a female Russian Blue mix. Ivy was found in an attic of a house that was under construction. The contractors didn’t know what to do with her and went door-to-door searching for her owner. Luckily, a Rescue Me volunteer lived two houses down. So, when all attempts to find her owner failed, this one-and-a-half-year-old entered rescue. Ivy gets along well with other cats and even dogs—after a slow introduction.

Dixie is a four-year-old bloodhound. Dixie is good with kids and other dogs. While she does have heartworms, she is on the “slow” treatment. That means all she needs is the regular heartworm preventive, and with time, she will be rid of the pests. The presence of the parasite demonstrates her previous owners neglected this great girl. So, the rescue is looking for a family who will love Dixie and treat her like a queen.

Regina was rescued with her brother, Ripley. This sweet four-year-old is good with kids, dogs and other cats.

All these pets have been spayed/neutered and vaccinated and litterbox trained. Many other adoptable dogs, puppies, cats and kittens are available from Rescue Me Animal Welfare Society.