As the weather warms up around town, you may be noticing more dogs riding in the back of pickup trucks.

The question of whether or not this should be allowed isn't a new one and pet owners across the province fall on both sides of the coin.

Samantha Casselton is a Community Peace Officer with the Town of Cochrane and she says that while it is legal to transport pets on truck flatbeds, there are laws in place to ensure that the pet remains safe.

"If you were to tether the dog [that's allowed] we don't really want them standing on bare metal," says Casselton. "They need to be tightened or have a leash on them strong enough to stop them from getting out and can't reach the edges of the truck, so basically they're secured in the middle of the truck."

Casselton says the safest option for transporting pets in the back of trucks, is having them ride in a secured crate.

"We would prefer if possible that you put your dog in a ventilated kennel and that it's securely fastened in the back of your truck," says Casselton. 

She says that the kennel should be fastened in such a way that it can't move around, and another safe option is having a ventilated cargo cover for the flatbed.

Casselton says it's also important for pet owners to consider the elements when transporting their animals in the back of pickup trucks.

"The Animal Protection Act would come into play," says Casselton. "Making sure that the animal is protected with shelter."

Section 4.1 of the Animal Protection Act outlines the responsibility of pet owners' "duty to provide care," including adequate food, water and shelter.

While the Town of Cochrane's Municipal Enforcement doesn't see these animal safety infringements often, there have been the occasional cases that have ended in an animal fatality.