The pictures were taken on Sunday on Highway 59N near
Humble; they show a dog tethered to a moving truck’s flatbed, reportedly
driving 65 mph.
Because Monica Schmidt with the Houston Humane Society is
used to protecting animals, she had no problem speaking out about the pictures.
“You get a sense of disbelief that this could even happen,”
said Schmidt. “And you think, ‘are you sure this isn't Photoshoped?’, because
it's just so horrible that anybody would do that.”
The man who took the photos didn’t want to be identified
but you can see his Facebook post has been shared thousands of times and has
generated comments like, “needs to be in jail!”, “that's so terrible! I can
only imagine how terrified that poor baby was!” and “Oh my god that makes me
sick to my stomach.”
Even though the pictures have generated plenty of outrage,
according to the District Attorney’s office, this type of animal transport is
legal in Texas. It only becomes a crime if the animal is hurt; something
Schmidt says is highly likely.
“We really need stricter laws in Texas to be able to
protect those animals that can't protect themselves. Every dog owner should be
saddened that as a society that happens… here in Houston on our highways.”
Schmidt recommends that anyone who is upset by the animal’s
treatment contact their elected official and encourage them to push for tougher
animal rights legislation.
