cod'ead wrote:Last year, I was prevented from delivering a RIB to the Royal Naval Yard at Pompey because I had my dog with me in the van. The security guard (note: not an proper copper, or an MP or even a stoker with a gun but a security guard employed by the same people contracted to safeguard the Olympics - G4S), told me it was because terrorists had been known to pack dogs with Semtex and then explode them remotely. The fact that I was hardly likely to blow up my best mate cut no ice with this fella. So I reversed out of the gate, drove to a local transport cafe and asked the woman behind the counter if I could leave him there for 20 minutes or so.
I drove back in, the guard checked that I didn't have a dog and waved me through. At no time did he check the RIB or the two pallets of spares I had in the back of the van. In fact after that incident, I used to stop a couple of hundred yards before the gate, tell the dog to get off the seat and into the footwell and then throw a blanket over him - no problem.
In some ways, I can understand the Yanks' concerns
You see, thats where having a German Shepherd dog comes in useful, all you need to do is explain that he is your security back up, ever alert and highly trained with razor sharp senses and keen eyes, ears and nose for anything at all dodgy or terrorist related...
I'll rent you ours if you like ?
, just out of interest , did the security guard explain how they get the Semtex into the dogs , not much chance with my old Lurcher/Collie cross , I took him to the vets and didn't hear the vet when he said he was going to take his temperature , he nearly took the vets hand off 
