It’s Illegal to Carry This in Bed of Your Truck in Massachusetts

The state of Massachusetts is home to a long list of strange and antiquated laws. Everything from growing goatees, to singing the national anthem and even mowing your law have some weird guidelines in the Commonwealth.

Lawmakers in Massachusetts love to regulate different aspects of life, and driving is at the top of this list. Everything from what size tires you have to the tint on your windows is subject to state standards that Massachusetts drivers must adhere to. We have guidelines dictating who can drive when they can drive, where they can drive, and of course what you can do to your vehicle. Compared to a state like Florida which basically lets you put anything with wheels on the road, the hoops we jump through in Massachusetts are considered overwhelming by some.

One of the things that you're not allowed to do is put animals in the back of your truck bed, no matter how much your dogs love it.

According to Animal Law you're not allowed to have any animal in the bed of your truck.

No person shall transport an animal in the back of a motor vehicle in a space intended for a load on the vehicle on a public way unless such space is enclosed or has side and tail racks to a height of at least 46 inches extending vertically from the floor, the animal is cross tethered to the vehicle, the animal is protected by a secured container or cage or the animal is otherwise protected in a manner which will prevent the animal from being thrown or from falling or jumping from the vehicle. Whoever violates the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than $50

So even on a back country road in rural Berkshire County, you've got to make sure your furry friends are secured.

Interesting enough, you are, however, allowed to put people in the bed of your truck, as long as the following is true: The truck is traveling at a speed of less than five miles per hour, for a distance of fewer than five miles, or in cases of farming or parades.