Been thinking about the person who called the cops on the dog truck yesterday, and the details that lead folks to make judgments, most of which have nothing to do with the actual health/safety/happiness of the dogs.

If you google “sled dog truck,” you’ll see that a lot of mushers put dog silhouettes on the doors, or paw prints, or bright colors. There’s even this painted truck in Colorado, which is a-maz-ing.

We bought our dog boxes used (after our last truck burned down, we moved them onto a new flatbed) and our priority has always been making sure they’re safe, dry, well-ventilated, and comfortable. The dogs jump right into their boxes; they love going for car rides.

We like the steel doors because they’re rustproof and let the dogs see/smell everything that’s going by. In our climate, we’re usually more concerned with keeping the dogs cool—and making sure they have fresh air and ventilation—than keeping them warm.

But how many people see these doors, with their vertical bars, and immediately think of dogs in jail?