BOISE, Idaho — Taking a pet along on the road is a key benefit of for many truck drivers, according to a recent survey conducted by Truckstop.com in honor of National Take Your Pet to Work Week, June 20-24. The survey showed that 56% of those surveyed travel with their pets more often then not; 66% of those respondants say it’s for companionship and 19% for emotional support.
Survey respondents also shared personal stories about how they found their pet companion and the unbreakable bonds they’ve formed.
Mary and Johnny Gaskins’ yellow labrador, Oscar, was recused from the trash outside of a breakfast restaurant in Vanceboro, North Carolina when he was only six-weeks old.
“It was love at first sight, and I couldn’t believe someone could do such a thing to an innocent puppy,” Mary Gaskins said.
“We take him everywhere; he has improved our way of life,” she continued. “When you’re on the road, it’s stressful and you’re sitting for hours on end. Oscar forces me to get out of the truck while at rest stops and walk and helps ease the stress brought on by what can be a very stressful job. We may have saved him, but it turns out he saved us.”
Kristy Kramer is a freight broker based in Warren, Michigan. Her miniature golden doodle, Baylee Jean, not only sits quietly with her in her home office during work hours but is also a therapy dog in training.
“Baylee Jean has given my son and I a new life,” Kramer said. “My son has epilepsy and ADHD. Baylee can sense when he needs comfort and will lay on top of him to create the feeling of a weighted blanket. I was inspired to get her certified as a therapy dog because of her natural instincts to comfort and after seeing how dogs can brighten the day of those in recovery facilities.”
Additional survey findings show most professional truck drivers surveyed that take their pets on the road (54%) said they would reconsider their profession if they could not take their pet with them on the road. Truck drivers who bring their pet on the road for emotional support are most likely to reconsider their profession if they couldn’t travel with their pets (64%).
Following two years of industry instability and now facing unprecedented fuel costs, these pet passengers make a world of difference. Luckily, for many carriers, National Take Your Pet to Work Week is a treat they get to benefit from regularly.
To see more stories and photos about drivers and their pets, visit Truckstop.com’s Facebook page.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
