What do you do when you see a dog left in the car in the heat?

[Loves Vintage]

Every now and again, I have the misfortune of witnessing dogs left in cars in the heat. For example, it is 82 degrees here today. I noticed a small white dog (probably a Bichon) left in a car with the windows and moonroof all completely closed. I thought maybe the car was running and the a/c was on - nope. Also, no trees in sight -- direct sun.

I get really enraged when I see this. In the past, I have left a note, or in one prior case, it was an elderly couple, I walked up to their table in a sitdown restaurant and in my nicest of nice voices, told them that it was too hot for their dog in the car. In their nicest voices, they told me their dog was fine. I think the woman went out and cracked the windows a little more, but there wasn't much more I could do in that situation, and admittedly, it was probably not as hot as it is today.

So, I'm curious -- what would you do in a similar situation?

P.S. This weekend, I also saw a guy leave his 2 kids (a baby, maybe a year old and a three year old-ish girl) in the backseat of the car, windows totally open. The guy was inside the shop ordering food. He placed his order and then ran out to the car for a second and went back in. If not for him leaving the shop, I wouldn't have known whose kids they were. Kinda crazy, no? Would you have said something to him?

 

[Lauren8211]

I''ve never seen it in person, but, most likely, I''d wait by the car for a few minutes. If no one came, I''d call the police, or tell store security for the parking lot of the store I was in.

I would not leave that dogs side until it was out.

If the dog looked ill, I might even consider breaking their window. I don''t care if I have to pay for it.

 

[fieryred33143]

I will wait by the car for 15 minutes because I can sympathize with someone running into the store to grab some milk and running out.

After 15 minutes, I call animal services and give them the license plate. That may seem extreme but I’m against animal cruelty and leaving a pet in the heat in the car for long periods of time is cruel. Florida during the summer is no joke. It can be 85 outside but 105 inside of the car. Luckily I don''t see that happening often in FL. We''re pretty much a pet friendly place. You can go into a store and leave your animal outside tied up without people saying anything. We also have a lot of restaurants that allow animals outside so there''s no need to leave your pet in the car.

 

[CJ2008]

Oh, my goodness, LV, this drives me INSANE.

JUST THE OTHER DAY I went to my usual bagel store, and when I came out, I saw a guy standing by his truck, with his dog inside. The windows were cracked open, but he was holding his keys in his hand, so the A/C was NOT on. I know he was right there, but still - this is SOUTH FLORIDA, and it is SUMMER.

Well, I circled around a couple of times and I was about to approach him (nicely) when whoever he was waiting for came out.

It is so dangerous to leave dogs, or babies, or whatever, in cars. It is NOT ENOUGH to crack the windows open, as the temperatures can reach dangerous levels within MINUTES - the A/C must be left on.

If I had approached him, I think I would have said something like "I'm not sure if you realize, but the temperature inside your car can get SO high within minutes that it is really dangerous for your dog, even with the windows open. I hope you don't take offense I'm telling you this, but it's just that I'm sure you don't want anything to happen to your dog and many people just don't realize how quick it can become lethal."

But I definitely would've been nervous...and worse, if they said they didn't care, it would really freak me out to not be able to do anything and know the animal was in danger.

ETA: on ASPCA website:

Number-one rule of automobile safety for pets: NEVER LEAVE YOUR PET ALONE IN A PARKED CAR! Overheating can kill an animal.

It only takes ten minutes on an 85-degree day for the inside of your car to reach 102 degrees Fahrenheit, even if the windows have been left open an inch or two. Within 30 minutes, the interior can reach 120 degrees—and even when the temperature is a pleasant 70 degrees, the inside of your car may be as much as 20 degrees hotter than the air outside. Parking in the shade offers little protection, as the sun is constantly shifting throughout the day. Pets who are young, elderly, or obese are particularly at risk of overheating (hyperthermia), as are those with thick or dark-colored coats, and breeds with short muzzles.

 

[Catmom]

I had this happen in a Costco parking lot when it was about 95 degrees out. I waited 15 minutes by the car but no show. I then went inside to the service desk to see if I couldn''t have them paged over the loud speakers but they wouldn''t do it. They did look up the police number for me and let me use their phone. I called the police and they sent a car to the parking lot. I didn''t wait around though to see what happened as my food was spoiling.

 

[musey]

Oh goodness. This is such a scary thing. I've NEVER been able to bring myself to leave my dog in the car... even in 65º weather! I'm kind of protective of him. No matter what the temperature is, I'm worried he'll be too hot... too cold... it'll get too stuffy... he'll see something that scares him...

I hardly ever see this kind of thing here in SoCal. NEVER seen dogs left in a car when the temp is over 80º, especially without the windows rolled down.

 

[Maisie]

I once accidently locked my dog in the boot of the car. She had jumped in while I was unloading it and I shut my keys in with her! My husband was at work and he jumped in a cab and got home within ten minutes. It wasn''t even a hot day but I flapped that she would overheat!

If I saw a dog in a car on a hot day I would phone the RSPCA and ask them to come straight out.

 

[Sabine]

I would call the local animal services.

This is horrible, but a 2 year old in my area just died yesterday from being left in the car. Not OK for kids or pets. It''s just not.

 

[Maisie]

A 2 year old child?

 

[iwannaprettyone]

I live in Texas, unfortunatley in 105 heat it only takes 10 minute to get to 145 in a car. I would call animal control or talk to the the closest store to find the owner.

 

[Loves Vintage]

I'm fairly convinced that I see this a lot, I'd say every other month or so, maybe less frequently, because I notice these things like radar. I think a lot of people just don't notice. I also think I am ultrasensitive and lots of people don't think it's an issue when I do. I went in and out of my car a few times today, and it was uncomfortably hot for me. With that said, today's doggie looked perky and happy and was not panting. It was a fast food restaurant parking lot. I contemplated going in and asking whose car it was, but I thought they wouldn't be in there for too terribly long and I thought I might be overreacting. Also, I know cracking the windows doesn't help, but I'm sure these people didn't even have theirs down a bit because they were worried someone would have stolen their precious. Gah.

I know that cars can heat up very quickly. I'm going to print off the info from the ASPCA site that Claudinam posted and keep it in my glove compartment for such occasions in the future. If I assess the situation to be worse than today's, I'm going to just call the police.

I didn't say anything to the guy this weekend with the 2 kids. How careless could he be? I'm sure he was the grandfather. I used to be inclined to say something to people like this, but my new tactic seems to be avoidance. I had to leave the shop. It's the only way I could stop myself from telling the guy what's what, in my nicest voice of course.

ETA: Re: calling animal control -- I live in CT. I've called animal control before, when I've seen dogs off leash and have been unable to catch them myself, and I've gotten voice mail. I guess that's why I'm hesitant to call the police either. By the time they get there, if they are even willing to come out, the people would be done with their lunch and on their way to their next stop! But, I will try next time.

 

[musey]

Date: 8/19/2008 4:11:09 PM
Author: Loves Vintage
I'm fairly convinced that I see this a lot, I'd say every other month or so, because I notice these things like radar. I think a lot of people just don't notice. I also think I am ultrasensitive and lots of people don't think it's an issue when I do.

I can't speak for the general population, but I (and many of my family/friends) are very sensitive to this sort of thing. I think it's more likely a regional thing, whether it happens frequently. For example, here in SoCal, there's a real "my dog is my child" mentality, so I think that it's less likely to happen here.

Where in other parts of the country/world, dogs are just dogs. Hence people are less careful with them than we would be here.

Just a theory...

 

[Loves Vintage]

Date: 8/19/2008 4:10:33 PM
Author: iwannaprettyone
I live in Texas, unfortunatley in 105 heat it only takes 10 minute to get to 145 in a car. I would call animal control or talk to the the closest store to find the owner.

And, if they were in the store, then you'd address it with them directly? I don't know why I'm such a wimp about this. I guess I have a really hard time telling people to their face that they are careless dog owners. I'm afraid of coming across as a nutso dog lady (b/c truth be told, that's exactly what I am) who stalks people for leaving their car for a few minutes and embarasses them in front of the whole shop. I really do get very agitated (re: this issue), and it can be a bit difficult for me to hide that.

 

[iwannaprettyone]

Date: 8/19/2008 4:19:12 PM
Author: Loves Vintage

Date: 8/19/2008 4:10:33 PM
Author: iwannaprettyone
I live in Texas, unfortunatley in 105 heat it only takes 10 minute to get to 145 in a car. I would call animal control or talk to the the closest store to find the owner.

And, if they were in the store, then you''d address it with them directly? I don''t know why I''m such a wimp about this. I guess I have a really hard time telling people to their face that they are careless dog owners. I''m afraid of coming across as a nutso dog lady (b/c truth be told, that''s exactly what I am) who stalks people for leaving their car for a few minutes and embarasses them in front of the whole shop. I really do get very agitated (re: this issue), and it can be a bit difficult for me to hide that.

Heck yes, I am crazy like that...no really. lol You''ll find alot of times that the owner really didn''t see any harm or they had planned on "just popping in and out" of the store.

People around my area treat their dogs like kids aswell so I don''t see this much.

 

[iwannaprettyone]

Date: 8/19/2008 4:42:26 PM
Author: SanDiegoLady
You can call the NON-emergency police number and they will come out to assist especially given the heat.. even if it means breaking the window. Its animal abuse and its a crime..

probably you''re best bet...

Hi SDL

 

[Loves Vintage]

Date: 8/19/2008 4:49:04 PM
Author: iwannaprettyone

Date: 8/19/2008 4:42:26 PM
Author: SanDiegoLady
You can call the NON-emergency police number and they will come out to assist especially given the heat.. even if it means breaking the window. Its animal abuse and its a crime..

probably you're best bet...

Hi SDL

Probably so. Thanks SDL and IWPO!

Also, for the record, I live in an area where dogs are treated like children too. So, I just don't get why I see this somewhat regularly. I just mentioned it to a co-worker, also a big animal lover -- she was equally disgusted, but said she sees it quite a bit too . . . .

 

[jewelerman]

I worked in a mall where there was a constant need in the summer for the mall manager to call animal services and also the police because young children were also being left in the car to wait for shopping mothers.

 

[akmiss]

A woman in my city recently left her five month old baby in the car (with the window cracked) while she worked out at the gym for over an hour. linky

http://www.adn.com/anchorage/story/498063.html

 

[strmrdr]

this really ticks me off I call the cops.

 

[Cleo]

I''ve read so many stories in the news recently about children & babies dying after being left in a car. It doesn''t even need to be a sunny day for it to get too hot.

I would not hesitate to call the police if I saw a child or a dog in a car on a hot day.

I believe it''s actually against the law to leave children under a certain age alone in a car anyway - no matter how quickly the person is planning on coming back.

x x x

 

[violet02]

It's against the law to leave a dog in a hot car in California.
http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/print-version/press-release/4024/http://blog.muttropolis.com/the_muttropolis_blog/2008/07/did-you-know-in.html

I have some friends that have an older dog.. he has a lot of seperation anxiety. It's really sad. Anyways, my friend used to board him at a daycare on the weekends so he could go out late at night. The dog would whine and the neighbors would complain. My suggestion was that he should move.. he said he had a lease, I said break it.. he wouldn't. Meh. Anyways, he got married and his wife wants them to save money so when they go out now instead of boarding him they leave him in the car (at night only not during the day in the heat) and park out by the bars or clubs. I'm totally against this. I say for starters you're now driving drunk on top of locking a dog in the car! I've told them many times it's WRONG. I wish I could do something about it but because it's not HOT out it's not 'technically' against the law. Particularly when they say they leave him water/food etc in the car. Don't get me wrong. I don't condone this at all and it makes me ill to think about it but I'm not sure what to do about it at this point. They've since put the dog on prozac so he's mellower apparently and can sometimes stay home alone... ugh.. it's hard to discuss... Whenever I go out with them I drive them and make them feel bad so they leave the dog at home. It's caused tension between us because of how po'ed it makes me... Everytime I try to bring it up to them they say 'he likes it!'.

I never see dogs left in hot cars in NorCAL. We definitely treat our dogs like kids here! When he is in the car he even gets his own car seat and seat belt!

On a cold day I have run into 7-11 for a couple of minutes with him in the car with the window down. That's the most I've ever done. NEVER on a hot day though and never for longer than a few minutes in a situation like a convenience store or at the gas station.

 

[fieryred33143]

FYI

A grandmother was arrested here in Florida yesterday for leaving a toddler and a teen in the car with the windows up while she played bingo.

The inside car temp was 120.

I do have to say though that a toddler left with a teen is not that big of a deal because I would *hope* that the teen is smart enough to open the car door and go outside if it gets too hot. There was a case here a few years back where a mother left her two kids in the car, a toddler and a newborn while she did her hair. The toddler had taken the baby out of the car seat and put her against the cracked window to get some air (the police concluded after seeing lip prints on the window). Both died

 

[bee*]

I wait by the car for 15 minutes and then I call the guards/spca.

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Date: 8/19/2008 4:19:12 PM
Author: Loves Vintage

Date: 8/19/2008 4:10:33 PM

Author: iwannaprettyone

I live in Texas, unfortunatley in 105 heat it only takes 10 minute to get to 145 in a car. I would call animal control or talk to the the closest store to find the owner.

And, if they were in the store, then you''d address it with them directly? I don''t know why I''m such a wimp about this. I guess I have a really hard time telling people to their face that they are careless dog owners. I''m afraid of coming across as a nutso dog lady (b/c truth be told, that''s exactly what I am) who stalks people for leaving their car for a few minutes and embarasses them in front of the whole shop. I really do get very agitated (re: this issue), and it can be a bit difficult for me to hide that.

Very possibly..but it''s hard to locate the person that belongs to the car if you don''t know. So what I usually do is go to the store manager and have them locate the person.

 

[isaku5]

Date: 8/20/2008 2:51:52 AM
Author: strmrdr
this really ticks me off I call the cops.

Me too.

 

[angel_nieves]

When I was first out of high school I worked as an animal control officer. I sadly had to deal with a lot of dogs and cats that died in their owner’s car due to heat.

However the saddest story was when I was called out to a car for 1 dead cat a 1 cat that was going into convulsions. Both cats where seized and the 1 living one was taken to a vet the other a narcropsy. Sadly both died; the woman actually came into our center and said I stole her cats and that I must have killed them, because she stated that she left her 3 year old in the car all the time and her child had never died.

Also her locally a lady (if you can call her that) left her 3 week old child in her car so she could go to work.

Oh, I dont wait any amount of time to call police about animals or children.

 

[CJ2008]

I think the problem with waiting 15 minutes is that you don''t know how long that dog/cat/baby has ALREADY been in the situation - and I''m not sure whether there are symptoms to look for that are a dead giveway that there''s going to be a problem (once the overheating problem exists, I''m sure it''s obvious, but then it''s probably too late, by the time you get someone out there).

I propose we all err on the side of caution and wait only 5 minutes. It''s hard to do, we all want to give people the benefit of the doubt, and not make them go through something unnecessarily, but it''s just too risky. The dog/cat/baby can''t speak for themselves.

 

[wishful]

If I could figure out what store the owner of the car/dog was in I would go in, ask the store to page the owner of a (insert type of car here) maybe give licence plate number, etc. and see if we could get them to come out.

 

[sumbride]

I''ve only witnessed it once and I called the police. They arrived within minutes. I was impressed by them taking it so seriously, but they said it is indeed a police-worthy matter and they popped the door open. I didn''t stay around to see what happened after that. This was in a suburban area. I don''t think the police in my city have time to deal with it and I''m not sure what I would do if it happened near my house. They show these things on the news a lot here though so I think that may have something to do with why I haven''t seen it often. Awareness must be good on it here.

 

[Linda W]

Date: 8/20/2008 6:23:28 AM
Author: violet02
It''s against the law to leave a dog in a hot car in California.

http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/print-version/press-release/4024/http://blog.muttropolis.com/the_muttropolis_blog/2008/07/did-you-know-in.html


I have some friends that have an older dog.. he has a lot of seperation anxiety. It''s really sad. Anyways, my friend used to board him at a daycare on the weekends so he could go out late at night. The dog would whine and the neighbors would complain. My suggestion was that he should move.. he said he had a lease, I said break it.. he wouldn''t. Meh. Anyways, he got married and his wife wants them to save money so when they go out now instead of boarding him they leave him in the car (at night only not during the day in the heat) and park out by the bars or clubs. I''m totally against this. I say for starters you''re now driving drunk on top of locking a dog in the car! I''ve told them many times it''s WRONG. I wish I could do something about it but because it''s not HOT out it''s not ''technically'' against the law. Particularly when they say they leave him water/food etc in the car. Don''t get me wrong. I don''t condone this at all and it makes me ill to think about it but I''m not sure what to do about it at this point. They''ve since put the dog on prozac so he''s mellower apparently and can sometimes stay home alone... ugh.. it''s hard to discuss... Whenever I go out with them I drive them and make them feel bad so they leave the dog at home. It''s caused tension between us because of how po''ed it makes me... Everytime I try to bring it up to them they say ''he likes it!''.


I never see dogs left in hot cars in NorCAL. We definitely treat our dogs like kids here! When he is in the car he even gets his own car seat and seat belt!


On a cold day I have run into 7-11 for a couple of minutes with him in the car with the window down. That''s the most I''ve ever done. NEVER on a hot day though and never for longer than a few minutes in a situation like a convenience store or at the gas station.

I don''t see this where we are either in Northern California, thank goodness!!!!!