Barking Mad: Where Gold Coast dog owners need to draw the line

A photo has set tongues wagging about how people in the Gold Coast are caring for their dogs. Here’s what the law says.

Just where do we draw the doggone line?

It’s a question I’ve been pondering since a picture of a pooch perched on a ute divided the city this week.

The photo, posted to Reddit, showed a dog tied to the back of a truck, standing on a tray with no sides, as it sped along the highway.

While the practice was quickly confirmed to be perfectly legal, that didn’t quell furious debate about whether it was actually ethical treatment of an animal.

Of course, it didn’t help that the snap was captioned with ‘another alpha and his dog’, a statement oozing with judgement.

And others clearly agreed, with comments such as: ‘law or not, the driver is a piece of s***’.

But others defended the practice:

“Tradie in this photo probably loves his dog more than anything else, and properly restrained in the centre of the flatbed is much safer for everyone on the road and the dog, than unrestrained on the seat next to him.”

However, RSPCA Gold Coast Inspector Ken Patrech said while tethering was legal, so long as the lead allowed enough movement for the dog to turn its head but not enough that it could entangle of hand itself, it was not the preferred method.

He said it was the least secure option and the RSPCA preferred dogs have a dedicated cage attached to the back of the ute or attached to a leash inside the ute’s cabin.

Tethering a dog to the back of a ute like this is legal, but has sparked dispute Picture: Reddit.

Given that thousands of dogs were injured last year while travelling in vehicles due to improper restraint, these rules are incredibly important.

It’s the reason why, in December, Queensland became the last state to make it an offence to travel with an unrestrained dog in a trailer or vehicle tray, as part of a suite of amendments to the state’s Animal Care and Protection Act.

The new legislation also stated that dogs cannot have more than their head protruding from vehicle windows when driving.

So expect plenty more pup-arazzi pics of dog (owners) behaving badly.

But this whole furore brought to mind another canine conundrum … the question of pets in cafes.

The announcement of a new dog-friendly diner in the Mermaid community recently brought plenty of applause online, but also a few howls of protest.

Some complained of the nuisance of tripping over someone’s precious bundle of fur, others of the noise and/or smell pollution … while others felt the dogs themselves don’t really dig it, that it’s a cruel and unnecessary punishment for pooches.

While I believe it’s far from abuse, I certainly concur that a cafe is no place for our family’s own labrador.

It’s difficult to enjoy our meal while Sparky is literally drooling over our feet, and it does feel a sort of mental torture to inflict upon him as he watches us dine while he continues to whine.

Cafes may not be the best environment for every dog.

But when it comes to animals eating and drinking alongside their humans, I saw one pampered pup this week who truly took the cake.

As I walked along Marine Parade in Miami, I watched in horror as a woman lifted her dog to drink from the people-only bubbler. The little pooch lapped up both the water and the dispenser, with God knows how many humans unwittingly imbibing its saliva afterwards.

The irony being that directly beneath this bubbler was a dish designed specifically for thirsty doggies. Look, I absolutely love my dog, but I also believe in setting boundaries when it comes to including him alongside his human companions.

But I seem to be the odd one out when it comes to this doggie distinction. And the question is, are we endangering our animals or others by bringing them everywhere?

Well, sometimes, the answer is yes.

According to Mr Patrech, one of his pet peeves is drivers with literal lap dogs. He said not only was it illegal, but also incredibly dangerous. Yet it’s something I have seen almost daily on the drive to school.

“We’re really trying to educate people that when you travel with your animal, they should be secured - for your sake and their sake,” said Mr Patrech.

“In the case of an accident or sudden braking, an unsecured animal is a projectile, it’s incredibly dangerous.

“And as much as you love your dog and want to bring it to school drop-off or pick-up, it cannot be in your lap. It’s a recipe for disaster with unrestrained animals impeding the driver, children running around and cars moving in and out.”

So if you truly treasure your dog, please reconsider just when, where and how you take him/her out.

It’s time we all took the lead.