I recently picked up a very distressed young woman and her dog on the side of the road. I'm not in the habit of picking up hitch hikers but I could see that she was very upset and I stopped to help. She had broken down in her car and had called the RACQ. They sent road side assist, who in turn called for a tow truck. The tow truck driver refused to take her dog. She was left with the only option of leaving the dog on the side of the road or staying with him. She rang a taxi but they refused to take her and the dog as well. It was very hot, she had used all the water she had with her and had to resort to hitchhiking even though she was terrified of doing so. This woman was put at risk because she refused to leave her dog which as a dog owner and lover I doubt anyone would. I phoned the RACQ today to ask if they would accept a dog in a travel crate as I certainly don't want to be put in the same situation. They said no they would probably not accept a travel crate either as it wasn't in their policies but that it was probably up to the individual driver. I have asked them to please put in a customer report about this so that they can come up with some strategies for dealing with pets. If you travel with a pet in QLD and are a member give the RACQ a ring and tell them how dissatisfied you are with this policy and lets try and bring about some change. I would hate to think of anyone, particularly one of us elderly persons being put in this position. Thanks Lynne
Pondy said
08:20 AM Nov 3, 2014
Hi Lynne. Thanks for letting us know this. We travel with our dog and did not know this. We have RACQ so will make have to give them a call. We would not leave our dog behind either.
Gerty Dancer said
09:40 AM Nov 3, 2014
I wonder what happens when a whole family is stranded, and the towie only has space for one passenger?
Woolly said
02:18 PM Nov 3, 2014
Interesting, we use NRMA and lately that has been frequently. They always ask if there are any other people or pets involved & once we had to wait a bit longer until they found a tow truck that could carry both of us.
A lot of years ago I broke down with the whole family in the car (2 adults & 4 kids) & NRMA arranged a maxi taxi to pick us all up, we weren't close to anywhere & the taxi fare was well over $200 which NRMA covered.
Pondy said
02:46 PM Nov 3, 2014
I have just contacted RACQ and they were most helpful. Under the law they can not carry dogs in there tow trucks but your dog can travel in your vehicle on the back of the tow truck. They are going to look at the incident Linzeelou mentioned.
Linzeelou said
09:05 PM Nov 3, 2014
Thanks, good on you for contacting the RACQ. They will always arrange for people to be collected at their expense, from a break down, that just doesn't include pets. Apparently the tow truck driver must have been a real b*****d as he wouldn't let her put her dog in the car either as I asked her that when we were chatting on the way to town. I have never felt so sorry for anyone so much in my life, so I vowed to try and get as many people as possible on the case. I imagined how I would have felt and it wasn't pretty. Maybe with enough people contacting them, they may actually put some black and white policies in place and not leave it up to the discretion of the tow truck driver who may or may not be having a bad day. People power is the greatest power there is to bring about change. Cheers Lynne
BruDi said
05:16 PM Nov 4, 2014
Good for you Linzeelou. We would not leave our dog either and would be jumping up and down on the spot too. I'm going to check what the RAA would do in a similar circumstance. A motoring club, which is what these are, need to be aware of members' needs. I wonder how the RSPCA would react to the above scenario.
Di
AusGabby said
07:59 AM Nov 5, 2014
That's very interesting and also worrying. To leave someone stranded on the roadside seems criminal to me. Likewise to expect any owner to abandon their dog on the roadside - wonder what RSPCA would think about that.
exa41 said
10:48 PM Nov 18, 2014
Lynne ,That's disgusting , Its bad enough that she broke down when she did let alone have to put up with the mongrel driver as well, if it wasn't for you anything might have happened to her . I know what its like to break down miles from home and is not nice at all . I am insured through Ken Tame , not sure what happens there with pets either .
8. Pets and LivestockAlthough most transport companies and many accommodation properties will not permit pets or livestock, every attempt will be made to assist you in accommodating and transporting. All costs are payable by you.
Transport of pets or livestock is the responsibility of the Member or Driver
-- Edited by dorian on Wednesday 19th of November 2014 09:58:57 AM
msg said
01:46 PM Nov 19, 2014
Always travel with my dog. Had no trouble when van broke down. Molly travelled in towtruck 420k's. Mum. Dad Me & dog also travelled in tow truck. Sister & Two dogs travelled Miles to Brisbane in tow truck. All compliments of NRMA Total Care.
Allara said
06:42 PM Dec 5, 2014
I wrote my 2010 BT50 off on the Stuart Hwy just south of Tennant Creek in 2013 and the dogs were ok on the back of the tow truck, in their crates and the caravan was towed behind the truck 80kms back to Tennant. All covered by NRMA top cover, don't leave home without it !
Maybell said
01:26 AM Jan 3, 2015
We got caught at Cape York when our 4x4 done a clutch, we rang our RAC in perth who got in touch with RACQ They came out with truck to pick up car also myself hubby and dog, no questions asked. We were up there for a week waiting for repairs, put up in a caravan park but had to stay in a tent we had, as we couldn't stay in any of the accommodation because of our dog, but they did do everything they could to make us comfy as possible. But I will check with our RAC incase we just got a good driver.
Spook said
06:37 AM Jan 3, 2015
PeterD wrote:
Another reason not to go caravanning with pets.
Our pets are family. There is no way I would go anywhere without them.
Dunmowin said
09:45 PM Feb 1, 2015
I know this is an old post, but years back (about 2002) our 4WD broke down in Maleny. Four adults, one dog. RACQ took all of us back to Jimboomba - four adults, one dog and the 4WD
Subria said
02:58 PM Feb 24, 2015
Hi. I have used the RACWA and RAA in the past. Neither would take our dog in the towtruck but both suggested he travelled in the car up on the back.
RACWA driver stopped every hour so we could check on the dog. (Geraldton to Perth is approx 500k's) RAA whilst a much shorter trip wouldn't stop.
I feel that leaving someone on the side of the road like that is irresponsible. I'd hate to think of the ramifications had anything gone wrong for that person left.
I recently picked up a very distressed young woman and her dog on the side of the road. I'm not in the habit of picking up hitch hikers but I could see that she was very upset and I stopped to help. She had broken down in her car and had called the RACQ. They sent road side assist, who in turn called for a tow truck. The tow truck driver refused to take her dog. She was left with the only option of leaving the dog on the side of the road or staying with him. She rang a taxi but they refused to take her and the dog as well. It was very hot, she had used all the water she had with her and had to resort to hitchhiking even though she was terrified of doing so. This woman was put at risk because she refused to leave her dog which as a dog owner and lover I doubt anyone would. I phoned the RACQ today to ask if they would accept a dog in a travel crate as I certainly don't want to be put in the same situation. They said no they would probably not accept a travel crate either as it wasn't in their policies but that it was probably up to the individual driver. I have asked them to please put in a customer report about this so that they can come up with some strategies for dealing with pets. If you travel with a pet in QLD and are a member give the RACQ a ring and tell them how dissatisfied you are with this policy and lets try and bring about some change. I would hate to think of anyone, particularly one of us elderly persons being put in this position. Thanks Lynne
A lot of years ago I broke down with the whole family in the car (2 adults & 4 kids) & NRMA arranged a maxi taxi to pick us all up, we weren't close to anywhere & the taxi fare was well over $200 which NRMA covered.
Thanks, good on you for contacting the RACQ. They will always arrange for people to be collected at their expense, from a break down, that just doesn't include pets. Apparently the tow truck driver must have been a real b*****d as he wouldn't let her put her dog in the car either as I asked her that when we were chatting on the way to town. I have never felt so sorry for anyone so much in my life, so I vowed to try and get as many people as possible on the case. I imagined how I would have felt and it wasn't pretty. Maybe with enough people contacting them, they may actually put some black and white policies in place and not leave it up to the discretion of the tow truck driver who may or may not be having a bad day. People power is the greatest power there is to bring about change. Cheers Lynne
Good for you Linzeelou. We would not leave our dog either and would be jumping up and down on the spot too. I'm going to check what the RAA would do in a similar circumstance. A motoring club, which is what these are, need to be aware of members' needs. I wonder how the RSPCA would react to the above scenario.
Di
http://www.racq.com.au/~/media/pdf/racq%20pdfs/roadside%20assistance/options/racq-ultra-care-membership-booklet.ashx
-- Edited by dorian on Wednesday 19th of November 2014 09:58:57 AM
Our pets are family. There is no way I would go anywhere without them.
I know this is an old post, but years back (about 2002) our 4WD broke down in Maleny. Four adults, one dog. RACQ took all of us back to Jimboomba - four adults, one dog and the 4WD
RACWA driver stopped every hour so we could check on the dog. (Geraldton to Perth is approx 500k's) RAA whilst a much shorter trip wouldn't stop.
I feel that leaving someone on the side of the road like that is irresponsible. I'd hate to think of the ramifications had anything gone wrong for that person left.