[Flynn Gentry-Taylor]

I live in a resort area, and even with the record setting heat for days in a row, you will always see some less than intelligent person (s) get out of their car, lock the car doors and head for a nearby shop...yes the windows are down about an inch...
What do you do??? I don't agree with throwing a brick through the window as being advocated on FB right now..but here is what I plan to do next time I see a dog in a car during the summer..

1. I will dial 911
2. I will squeeze the door handle (NOT open it) and hope the car alarm
goes off.

A car alarm going off does bring people out of the shops to see if their car is okay or at least to turn it off...

By the time you go into a store and talk to the store owner, the store owner makes an announcement, etc., etc., etc....the dog could very well be dead.
By the time 911 gets there the dog could very well be dead...

Any more suggestions??? View attachment 42335

 

[Kalico]

Definitely do not throw a brick through the window! I had a woman call the cops on me once when I left my lab in the car for about thirty seconds while I dropped off a library book (and I know exactly how long I was gone because I had my eye on my watch). She was still explaining the problem to the cops when I came back and had to hang up, but still saw fit to harass me verbally (yell and scream at me) as I got into my car. I understood her concern, and while I wish she had waited the thirty seconds before calling the cops, I can't fault her for that. However, harassing me verbally like that was horrible, and if she had thrown a brick through my window I would have called the cops on her.

 

[davetgabby]

I have no patience for morons that do this. I would call the police immediately. No thirty second rule here. How are you supposed to know someone is only gone a second. By the time authorities get there , an hour could be gone. In that time the dog could be dead. Leave your dog at home if you have to leave them. Even with a window fully down it still can get to a hundred degrees in a car. My friend works for the Humane here and he has a temp . gun they use for reading temps. He demonstrated it too me. On a 80 degree day my inside of my truck with window closed was 110 degrees. Thanks for the reminder Flynn.

 

[Becky Chittenden]

Flynn, you have good ideas. I'd call 911 too, but didn't think about touching the car. It has been so oppressively hot, my dogs have been no where and I change the water several times a day and put ice cubes in their food in the evening. Some people either don't have any sense or are just plain dumb.

 

[Flynn Gentry-Taylor]

Definitely do not throw a brick through the window! I had a woman call the cops on me once when I left my lab in the car for about thirty seconds while I dropped off a library book (and I know exactly how long I was gone because I had my eye on my watch). She was still explaining the problem to the cops when I came back and had to hang up, but still saw fit to harass me verbally (yell and scream at me) as I got into my car. I understood her concern, and while I wish she had waited the thirty seconds before calling the cops, I can't fault her for that. However, harassing me verbally like that was horrible, and if she had thrown a brick through my window I would have called the cops on her.

Did you have the air on and the car running? In most states it is agains the law period...if the cops got there you were away from the car longer than 30 seconds..and nowdays you are just lucky someone did not break the window..doubt you would have any claim whatsoever.. If you had the air on and the car was running, not sure about that
Besides libraries here have drop boxes...no excuse, sorry!!!

 

[Flynn Gentry-Taylor]

Flynn, you have good ideas. I'd call 911 too, but didn't think about touching the car. It has been so oppressively hot, my dogs have been no where and I change the water several times a day and put ice cubes in their food in the evening. Some people either don't have any sense or are just plain dumb.

Yes Becky, if you can make the alarm go off it will bring everyone out to see what is going on and then you have witnesses also, if the owner is no among those who appear...then the owner looks very irresponsible to everyone else too..good lesson..
Now I would call the cops and set off the alarm, even if the car was running and the air on...just happens to fast..

 

[Flynn Gentry-Taylor]

Here is an answer I love to my FB post from Allen F. Hainge, a friend in Virginia, I love his last lines and wanted to share....
Allen wrote: "I'm pretty sure that no law enforcement agency would prosecute if one decided to break the window and save the pup. The owner would be upset for sure, but, as my ol' Pappy used to say: "Never try to teach a pig to sing...it wastes your time and annoys hell out of the pig!""

 

[lfung5]

There are times when I run into stores to grab a quick something. I only do this in safe places. I will leave the car running with air on or in the winter heat on. I also lock the car. I keep a spare key in my purse. I am so happy my car allows me to do this.

One time I ran into a store to make a return. I timed myself and I was literally in there for 6 minutes. It was a hot day, but my sun roof was open and the windows about 3 inches down. I was parked in the shade and it was a windy day. When I came out a guy drove by and yelled, ANIMAL CRUELTY! I was kind of mad at him, but I'm so glad people now have the balls to say something. I actually wish he would have approached me because what he didn't know was..... all 3 of my dogs were soaking wet!!! They just went swimming, so I knew they were ok. If he took the time to actually look into my car he would have seen they were not even panting. They were all just sitting in their car seats content as could be! Anyway, I would rather someone blow the whistle on me than not Better to be safe than sorry!

 

[davetgabby]

We all know you a good dog mom Linda. Just don't keep them too long, they might get pissed off and decide to drive off on ya.

 

[lfung5]

We all know you a good dog mom Linda. Just don't keep them too long, they might get pissed off and decide to drive off on ya.

Ha! Not worried about them driving off...they don't have thumbs

I do worry about them opening the windows, so I put the child locks on.

I also worry about someone stealing my car, so I never do this at night and I always part out front.

 

[misstray]

Everyone up here has remote starters on their vehicles so it makes it easy to get out, take your keys and then start up the vehicle for A/C or heat without risk of vehicle theft. I leave Brody in the car all the time...however, it is weather dependent. IF it is too hot or too cold, then I leave him at work and go do whatever I need to do. He's just better waiting in the car than he is being left at work. We don't really get extreme heat here, but right now it's been warmer than normal (it was high 20s Celcius today) and I wouldn't leave him when it's that hot out. I worry more about someone wanting to steal him.

 

[Thumper]

I would break the window and not even care if I went to jail for it. I think the media buzz it would draw would probably prevent anyone from pressing charges.
How awful that people can do this to their pets (and children!)

Thanks for posting.

 

[Kalico]

I have no patience for morons that do this. I would call the police immediately. No thirty second rule here. How are you supposed to know someone is only gone a second. By the time authorities get there , an hour could be gone. In that time the dog could be dead. Leave your dog at home if you have to leave them. Even with a window fully down it still can get to a hundred degrees in a car. My friend works for the Humane here and he has a temp . gun they use for reading temps. He demonstrated it too me. On a 80 degree day my inside of my truck with window closed was 110 degrees. Thanks for the reminder Flynn.

Thank you for calling me a moron. When I got back to the car it was still cooler inside it than outside. The woman who yelled and screamed at me was the moron (and note, I do not fault her for calling the cops, but for harassing me verbally after it became clear to her that I returned immediately).

 

[Kalico]

Did you have the air on and the car running? In most states it is agains the law period...if the cops got there you were away from the car longer than 30 seconds..and nowdays you are just lucky someone did not break the window..doubt you would have any claim whatsoever.. If you had the air on and the car was running, not sure about that
Besides libraries here have drop boxes...no excuse, sorry!!!

I don't think there is a law against it in Florida, not that it should make a difference. What I mean is, dogs/kids/etc. shouldn't be left in cars on hot days, or cold days if it can be helped. In this case, it was one of those situations in which it was simply unavoidable - these do arise, if rarely. It is not my habit, in fact this was the only time I've ever done it. But harassing people is simply unacceptable in my book. In most cases there are other ways to deal with a situation than yelling and screaming at someone, or causing harm to someone's property.

After my experience, I doubt I would do it again, but not because I don't think it can sometimes be ok to leave a dog in a car if it is a quick drop-off as was my case. I wouldn't do it because someone might throw a brick through my car window. And I probably would have a case here if they did.

 

[lfung5]

I don't think there is a law against it in Florida, not that it should make a difference. What I mean is, dogs/kids/etc. shouldn't be left in cars on hot days, or cold days if it can be helped. In this case, it was one of those situations in which it was simply unavoidable - these do arise, if rarely. It is not my habit, in fact this was the only time I've ever done it. But harassing people is simply unacceptable in my book. In most cases there are other ways to deal with a situation than yelling and screaming at someone, or causing harm to someone's property.

After my experience, I doubt I would do it again, but not because I don't think it can sometimes be ok to leave a dog in a car if it is a quick drop-off as was my case. I wouldn't do it because someone might throw a brick through my car window. And I probably would have a case here if they did.

I have to disagree with you. There are too many stupid people that leave their dogs in cars without even thinking about it. You and I at least are concerned and do what's best for the pups. Like I said, if I leave them in the car, it is either running with heat or air on. The only time it's not running, is if they are soaking wet after swimming. That actually only happened one time and since I was only going to be gone for 5 minutes, I decided the air didn't need to be on. Bella gets chilled when she is wet no matter what the temp. is. I am glad people speak up.

I didn;t take the guy yelling at me personally. I was happy he cared enough to say something. I'm sure he will save a dogs life one of these days by speaking up.

 

[gelbergirl]

Today I was at a rest stop and swiftly ran in to use the rest room, then quickly came out.
Traveling alone and with Henry.
No hanging around to get food or anything.
Did not leave the motor running. Is that ok? Less than 5 minutes. Temp and Henry in car seemed ok.
Then I took him out for his rest stop.

 

[lfung5]

I've never been in that situation traveling alone. I think it's ok. I mean you are literally dashing in to pee! I would not leave the car running, because I would fear someone would break in and drive off with the pups. I would find shade and leave the windows and sunroof open so that people can see the dog is getting air.

 

[krandall]

There are times when I run into stores to grab a quick something. I only do this in safe places. I will leave the car running with air on or in the winter heat on. I also lock the car. I keep a spare key in my purse. I am so happy my car allows me to do this.

One time I ran into a store to make a return. I timed myself and I was literally in there for 6 minutes. It was a hot day, but my sun roof was open and the windows about 3 inches down. I was parked in the shade and it was a windy day. When I came out a guy drove by and yelled, ANIMAL CRUELTY! I was kind of mad at him, but I'm so glad people now have the balls to say something. I actually wish he would have approached me because what he didn't know was..... all 3 of my dogs were soaking wet!!! They just went swimming, so I knew they were ok. If he took the time to actually look into my car he would have seen they were not even panting. They were all just sitting in their car seats content as could be! Anyway, I would rather someone blow the whistle on me than not Better to be safe than sorry!

I agree, Linda, there ARE times that I leave Kodi in the car, but I am VERY careful about it. My car also has a sun roof, which I KNOW makes a HUGE difference in terms of heat build-up. If I have to leave him in the car when I run in quickly somewhere, I do the same as you. Either the air conditioning is running, or the windows and sunroof (and sometimes the hatch) are open and the car is parked in the shade. I do this only in places that I can either SEE the car, or at a trial site, while I'm loading things in and out of the car.

While I think it's really important for people to know the dangers, it is also possible to keep dogs comfortably in the car, even on fairly hot days. The important thing is to be absolutely CERTAIN that you can control the heat in the vehicle for the length of time necessary. That means, YOU should try it out first under the same circumstances and see how YOU like it. I know for certain that my car can be kept comfortable when opened up, because there have been times when I've needed to nap in it during the day, with Kodi in his seat beside me.

I actually keep my car open like this even when we are going to be getting back into the car, for both of our comforts. I know that many people live in more urban settings where this isn't possible, but it is for a lot of people who live in less congested areas.

 

[krandall]

Today I was at a rest stop and swiftly ran in to use the rest room, then quickly came out.
Traveling alone and with Henry.
No hanging around to get food or anything.
Did not leave the motor running. Is that ok? Less than 5 minutes. Temp and Henry in car seemed ok.
Then I took him out for his rest stop.

I think, for me, in a rest stop, I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving windows open, and I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving Kodi in a closed up car in the heat. So I'd do what I have done many times, and take him in with me. He's kind of used to being tied to the stall door while I pee!ound:

 

[TilliesMom]

I'd put her in my handy dandy stroller. seriously, I love that thing and have no idea how I survived the first year without it!!