Is it legal for dogs to ride in the open bed of pickup trucks in Texas? Here’s the law
Seeing a dog ride around in the bed of a pickup truck may seem like a Texas thing to do, but is it actually legal?
A few years back, a Texas man was cited for having a horse riding in the back of his pickup truck while going down the road at more than 50 mph. In California, a German shepherd waited five weeks for her owners to come back after being thrown off the bed of a pickup truck.
Texas Transportation Code is pretty clear about how adults, 18 years and older, can lawfully ride in open beds of trucks, according to section 545.414. Children under 18 years of age, however, are prohibited from riding in the bed of a truck. Violators face a fine between $25 to $200.
But what about dogs? Here’s what we know:
Is it illegal for dogs to ride in the back of a truck in Texas?
Nope, Texas has no statewide laws prohibiting animals from riding in the bed of trucks. But a few Texas cities do have their own ordinances in place that prohibit the practice.
Fort Worth Code of Ordinances section 6-13 states that it’s illegal to drive with a dog in the bed of a pickup truck unless the animal is secured by a leash. Whether it be a leash or another cross-connected device, the equipment must have the ability to prevent the animal from falling, jumping or being thrown out of the vehicle. Drivers are also allowed to transport dogs in the bed of a truck in an enclosed animal carrier.
If a person commits this offense in Fort Worth, its a Class C misdemeanor that is punishable by a fine of up to $2,000.
Dallas has a similar ordinance to Fort Worth’s, stating that a person commits an offense if they transport a dog in the bed of a truck without properly securing the animal with a leash or other device.
