No dog deserves this—so why are drivers still doing it?
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Some dangers on the road are obvious, but others are hidden in plain sight.
One Melbourne resident recently called out a driver for a shocking act that placed two animals at serious risk.
What makes this case more alarming is that the act is not only dangerous—it is already against the law.
A social media user from Melbourne shared photos showing two dogs sliding around unrestrained in the back of a ute.
They claimed they tried to warn the driver at a set of traffic lights, only to be met with hostility.
‘And when stopped at the lights to let him know the dogs were sliding all over the place and I really had no intention of witnessing them fall out—I was, of course, told to “f*** off and mind my own business”… all of this as he was about to turn right onto the on ramp of the Monash Freeway… yes, he was taking them onto a freeway!!’ the post read.
Many online users expressed disgust at the driver’s actions, saying the sight was distressing and far too common.
‘It’s terrible and upsets me so much,’ one person wrote.
‘It’s horrible how little some people think about their animals. Because apparently being safe is weak or something,’ another added.
Others pointed out that the behaviour was indeed against the law and encouraged reporting it to authorities.
‘I’ve taken pics and reported to the RSPCA before. Definitely not safe or legal,’ one commenter said.
Principal criminal lawyer Avinash Singh from Astor Legal confirmed that the laws were clear.
‘There are laws in most states that make it an offence to have an unrestrained pet in a vehicle, particularly if there is a risk of injury,’ he shared.
In New South Wales, Section 7 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 made it an offence to carry a dog on the open back of a vehicle unless restrained, with penalties of up to $5,500 or six months in prison.
Victoria’s Section 15A of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 required dogs on ute trays to be restrained, with fines of around $2,000.
In South Australia, Section 45 of the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995 carried penalties of up to $1,250 for failing to restrain dogs in open trays.
The ACT, under Section 15A of the Animal Welfare Act 1992, also made it illegal to carry unrestrained dogs, with a maximum fine of $2,000.
Tasmania’s Section 16 of the Dog Control Act 2000 required sufficient restraint to prevent a dog from leaving a vehicle or attacking others, with fines of around $1,000.
In Queensland, the Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Road Rules) Regulation 1999 and the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 imposed fines up to $22,500 or one year in prison for unsafe transport of animals.
In Western Australia, Section 19 of the Animal Welfare Act 2022 allowed for penalties of $50,000 or five years in prison if animals were transported in a way likely to cause harm.
Across the country, laws varied in wording but carried the same message—unrestrained pets in vehicles were a danger to both animals and road users.
Some drivers might think letting their dogs ride loose is harmless, but the reality shows just how dangerous careless behaviour can be.
In fact, unsafe treatment of pets on the road isn’t limited to utes—it’s turning up in surprising places too.
One recent example involved a driver who found a shocking new way to take their dogs out for “exercise.”
Read more: You’ve seen leash walking and off-lead runs—but have you seen dogs walked like THIS?
When safety is so clearly spelt out in the law, why are some drivers still willing to risk their animals’ lives?
One Melbourne resident recently called out a driver for a shocking act that placed two animals at serious risk.
What makes this case more alarming is that the act is not only dangerous—it is already against the law.
A social media user from Melbourne shared photos showing two dogs sliding around unrestrained in the back of a ute.
They claimed they tried to warn the driver at a set of traffic lights, only to be met with hostility.
‘And when stopped at the lights to let him know the dogs were sliding all over the place and I really had no intention of witnessing them fall out—I was, of course, told to “f*** off and mind my own business”… all of this as he was about to turn right onto the on ramp of the Monash Freeway… yes, he was taking them onto a freeway!!’ the post read.
Dogs left unrestrained in ute sparks outrage. Image source: Reddit
Many online users expressed disgust at the driver’s actions, saying the sight was distressing and far too common.
‘It’s terrible and upsets me so much,’ one person wrote.
‘It’s horrible how little some people think about their animals. Because apparently being safe is weak or something,’ another added.
Others pointed out that the behaviour was indeed against the law and encouraged reporting it to authorities.
‘I’ve taken pics and reported to the RSPCA before. Definitely not safe or legal,’ one commenter said.
Principal criminal lawyer Avinash Singh from Astor Legal confirmed that the laws were clear.
‘There are laws in most states that make it an offence to have an unrestrained pet in a vehicle, particularly if there is a risk of injury,’ he shared.
In New South Wales, Section 7 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 made it an offence to carry a dog on the open back of a vehicle unless restrained, with penalties of up to $5,500 or six months in prison.
Victoria’s Section 15A of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 required dogs on ute trays to be restrained, with fines of around $2,000.
In South Australia, Section 45 of the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995 carried penalties of up to $1,250 for failing to restrain dogs in open trays.
The ACT, under Section 15A of the Animal Welfare Act 1992, also made it illegal to carry unrestrained dogs, with a maximum fine of $2,000.
Tasmania’s Section 16 of the Dog Control Act 2000 required sufficient restraint to prevent a dog from leaving a vehicle or attacking others, with fines of around $1,000.
In Queensland, the Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Road Rules) Regulation 1999 and the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 imposed fines up to $22,500 or one year in prison for unsafe transport of animals.
In Western Australia, Section 19 of the Animal Welfare Act 2022 allowed for penalties of $50,000 or five years in prison if animals were transported in a way likely to cause harm.
Across the country, laws varied in wording but carried the same message—unrestrained pets in vehicles were a danger to both animals and road users.
Some drivers might think letting their dogs ride loose is harmless, but the reality shows just how dangerous careless behaviour can be.
In fact, unsafe treatment of pets on the road isn’t limited to utes—it’s turning up in surprising places too.
One recent example involved a driver who found a shocking new way to take their dogs out for “exercise.”
Read more: You’ve seen leash walking and off-lead runs—but have you seen dogs walked like THIS?
When safety is so clearly spelt out in the law, why are some drivers still willing to risk their animals’ lives?
