Yorkie in car today - 103 degrees and humid
 

This get me so furious...so I have to vent.

We ran to Walmart today, and I heard a dog bark in a car (it's weird, but I can hear dogs in cars when no one else can...my hubby didn't hear it at all) - and I located the car. It was 103 degrees here today - and very humid. I called 911 (which you can do here) and got the license plate, gave it to the operator. As I was standing by the car - the yorkie's people came out - there were FIVE of them. They started loading their crap into the back of their hatch. WHY ON EARTH didn't 1 out of those 5 people STAY in the car, AC on, w/ the doggie?

I said "do you know your dog can die in 5 minutes when left in this heat in the car?" - the young woman turned to me and said "It's none of your business!" -- and I said "Well, I have your license plate and called 911" - and I walked away.

All 5 of them could not have cared less. I went into the store and we got our stuff...went to our car. As we were pulling out, we saw a cop car sitting in the parking lot - so we drove up to him and asked if he was there about the dog. He said yes, and that he'd gotten there in time to locate the people. He said he laid into them and is filing a report. He asked them why 1 of them didn't just stay w/ the dog - and they really didn't know :mad:. If they do it again, they'll get a citation. He said they told him they had the window down, which is BS - it was cracked 2 inches and the dog was panting like crazy and barking.

My heart was racing for about 2 hours after that, bc I was so worked up that they even had a doggie. People like that should be locked a car, in the sweltering heat, for one damn minute and see how it feels. The dog was in there for at least 15 minutes, according to another lady.

Oh, also - another lady in the parking lot said she told the Walmart people about the dog, and asked them about calling the cops - and they said they couldn't do that. When I went back in, I went to security and asked them why they didn't call - and they said they weren't allowed to - and I said - "yes you can, 911 will come if you call" - and they said "you can call, but we can't". UNBELIEVABLE. So, if they saw a child in the car (or dog) dying, they'd just watch it???

I just spoke to the store manager (on the phone) about the incident - and she was shocked. She wrote it down and is going to say something. I asked what the policy was - and she said it was her understanding that they can absolutely call.

Make sure you know your state/city's law about dogs in cars - we just had a thread about it, which is odd: http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...-hot-cars.html

It is amazing to me that people do that. It is very sad. People like that should NOT HAVE ANIMALS.

:mad: You did the right thing though!! 5 people?!?! GEEZ. I know how hot it gets...I stay in the car with my babies before and that's with the window all the way down. I hope they learned their lesson and won't do it again!! :thumbup: to you for calling the cop and walmart's store manager!!

I'm glad you called and the officer got there quick enough to lay into all five of those idiots. I'd be nervous about bringing Princess out in open air in 103 Degrees!!! I think just about anyone knows that a dog (esp. toy dogs it seems) can't regulate their body temps like humans, and we'd be hotter than heck in a car with all windows down!
As for the initial reaction at walmart, I can't say I'm even surprised, but that's a whole new OT thread.:rolleyes:

This happened to me last year at Walmart too. I called the police and waited for them to arrive. They in turn waited for the owners.

There was an article in today's newpaper about a woman who left her 2 pit bulls in her car while she furniture shopped for 2 HOURS!!! When she came out the police were waiting for her with 2 dead dogs. :(

Seriously stupid and uncaring people!

That's so sad. I can imagine that baby isn't in the best hands if they left him/her in the car in that heat. Good for you for getting involved!

Wylie's Mom - you have that mommy hearing! I'm so glad you called 911. I think they should have cited the first time! Absolutely incredible not one of them could sit in the car w the air on for the dog! Some ppl should not own dogs (and some should not have children either - just watched Casey Anthony trial)!

Wish they would have got a ticket this time! :( Poor little thing! Thank goodness you called in on them. And had the guts to say something!

This is so sad and frustrating. I wonder why they even take the dog in the car in the first place, rather than leave it at home where it is safe.

Unfortunately some people treat toy breeds as if they are fashion accessories. Instead of a fancy purse, they go around with a tiny little dog. I can always tell if someone really loves and cares for animals by how they handle their dogs. I love my Frances Alyce and she loves to go for car rides. She thinks the car is her mobile throne! She loves meeting new people and I like to tell people about her! However, when I need to go someplace where she is not allowed she stays safely at home.

SO incredibly sad and frustrating! People just DON'T care. It makes me want to just swoop that pet up and save it. It saddens me to think some don't love their pets the way we do. It's not even a matter of really "loving" a pet, per say, it's just common freakin' sense. My mom is not very smart with dogs, nor is she a "dog lover" yet she would even know better than to leave a dog in a HOT car! Grrrr. And there were 5 people, that angers me even more.

I agree.

Ann, you did a great job following up with the police and Walmart headquarters.

Ann~

I am so glad that you reported them!! I heard a vet speaking on tv not too long ago and she was saying that it is (on average) about 20 degrees hotter in a parked car then what the actual temp is. :eek: I am actually very surprised that this little Yorkie survived this type of heat. This is abuse....no matter how a person tries to justify it.

Tam

I am glad that you were there to help that poor little dog

I feel bad for the poor yorkie. You can just imagine how they treat it at home.:(. You did the right thing to bad they could not take it from them. Next time it may not be so lucky

Greenville police dog dies in hot car | wfaa.com Dallas - Fort Worth

Unfortunately this is the town I'm from.

I cant believe people these days!! grrr!!! out of 5 people not 1 of them can wait with the poor baby in the car? seriously?? ughhh People make me so mad. ANd that poor k-9 that is so sad! i think he needs to be fired from his job!! How can he forget to put the dog up? how can u miss the dog??? STUPID PEOPLE!!! Im actually from dallas texas in the pleasent grove area and I remember always seeing on the news of people not only leaving animals but kids in there car? really?!?!? bottom lie anyone who leaves an animal in a car in the heat should be thrown in jail

Im glad you were there to help that little dog. It is amazing that people would think its okay to leave a dog in a car in that kind of heat. It is sad

I'm so glad you were there to help. That's absolute horrible, the poor dog! How can anyone think that's acceptable?

What can I say...some people are just idiots...but 5 idiots in one car! It is unbelievable. Too bad the police officer didn't take the dog from them or give them a ticket right then and there.

You get 'em, girl! You did what every doglover should do and pursued it to the inth degree - even talking to the Walmart manager. Bulldog determination! If more people would go to the matt like you did it could stir more to be done and stir up some more awareness - get people thinking on their own and not falling back on "I didn't want to get involved" and corporate nonsense. Dogs everywhere should be barking your praises! Good for you! Inspires me.

:clapsmile Well said!!

Dogs left in car at Walmart
 

...You did the RIGHT thing! I always look for dogs that have been left in parked cars in parking lots and will not hesitate to call 911 anytime if the pups are in distress .

I was at Walmart yesterday and heard this over the speaker system..." WILL THE OWNERS OF A RED HONDA, LICENSE PLATE #-----, PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR CAR NOW. THE DOGS IN YOUR CAR NEED ASSISTANCE ". They also said that someone was waiting by the car for the owners to arrive!

It was nice to hear that Walmart had no problem in making this announcement.

The cop asked them why one didn't stay in the car with the dog and they didn't know? They knew...it was too dang hot to wait with the dog!!

Way to go, Ann!! At least that bunch will think twice before doing that again.

OMG how horrible is THAT!! How can someone leave a poor dog in the car in that heat!! Grrrr!! Makes me mad! People like that should not have dogs! You did the right thing weldone you!!! xxx

Good for you Ann!

My sister called me JUST called me Sunday all upset. She was at our local WalMart and heard a woman crying into the phone about a dog left in a car. Sis went over to see if she was able to help. The lady was on the phone with the police. This woman was so upset and another lady passing by actually had the nerve to tell her to mind her own business!

Once the cops arrived, they ran the tags and had the owners paged. Guess what? No one came forward to claim the vehicle. The dog was removed and taken to a local vet to be checked out. The officers claimed the owners would be charged with animal cruelty.

I am absolutely disgusted when a person say's "mind your own buisiness" after doing something so incredibley stupid that it endangers a life. These incidence's make it everyone's buisness when they park in a public parking lot in the dead heat of summer, leaving a dog in the car , without any means of cooling off.
Thankfully the yorkie was ok! Those people got lucky. i know in CA it has been 110' . I go to our car and it is burning inside. Can't even touch the steering wheel. It does not take a rocket scientist to know not to leave anyone or anything in a car while shopping in 100' degree temps or higher.
It is sad to think that people can be this stupid, or careless . If I were that cop I would of taken their dog, and written a citation. Not to give them a chance for them to do it again.

I sure wish I could talk to the HQ. I talked to the Mgr of the actual store; I did ask her if she'd "run it up the chain" - and she said she would. I hope she meant it.

Omg, thank gosh they removed that baby :mad:.