This thread inspires me to go into a PETA convention in furs and leather saying how right it is to simply kill animals since I pay so much to kill them and wear them...We'll see how far it gets me.

I agree that the owners were being stupid,however "Stupid should hurt" and sometimes its your wallet.
I think that if I had been this kind of stupid I wouldnt be screaming at the top of my lungs that it was someone elses fault that my property was damaged. I would be crawling under a rock so maybe my family,friends and neighbors would not know just how stupid I was.
Maybe they think that if they make enough noise it will justify their stupidity.

It was wrong to put the dogs in the trunk, period! They claim they left the back seat propped forward some so they were not actually locked in the trunk completely. What a joke! They also said that they put the dogs in the trunk because they don't want them in the cabin part of the car, especially since it was a new car. Well, if you don't want them in the car, leave them home! They made a bad call and this is what happens. I have to admit, the firefighters could probably have just busted a window and got into the trunk without causing so much damage. But, again, I would NEVER put my dogs in the trunk! That's just asking for trouble, and it's not fair to the dogs!

And where would the fire department get the car owners cell number from?

"Excuse me (said resaurtant) can you make a general announcment to your customers that I'm looking for the owner of the (type of vehicle) that has a animal locked in the trunk. We're going to have to bust open a window, so I'd apprecaite it if you could stop your business for a few moments and try to get a hold to the oh so responsbile person that own (type of vehicle) so we can be on our way...Thanks a bunches!"

I mean, really?

So the firefighters were what ..... supposed to just figure out how to get the owners phone number.

Locked in a trunk is cruel enough...now take into consideration the outdoor temperature....figure in how hot the inside of the trunk was considering the owner had driven the car to the restaurant and the fact that the pups have fur ..... do I really have to continue :mad:

I guess you wouldn't consider it abuse for your husband/wife or loved one to lock you or one of your kids in the car if he had to run in to get a beer or have a bite with one of his/her buddies :mad:

I believe your "just saying" is completely ridiculous.

Just so you have an idea of the area they were in. The West End Dallas has about 10 restaurants in a cluttered area. Lets call a few more squad cars in and have officers go to each restaurant for the announcement.
For a bit more of a visual. I sat in my car today during the same time of the day,here in FtWorth. Its in the mid 50s outside,the sun is shining. I cracked the windows while waiting 10min for kid to get out of class. When I pulled away from the curb it was about 85 in the car,with the sun beating down on it and I had on a black longsleeve top. It was more than a bit uncomfortable. Im pretty sure the dogs did not enjoy being in what was basically an oven and they had been there longer than I was.

Wait...... How about the INTERVIEW with the shipmans where they openly admit the dogs were IN THE TRUNK???

Google it and you can find all sorts of information.

This were in the restaurant long enough to be seated, order and receive drinks. Mr. Shipman admits an hour later, his phone rang. Dicks last resort on a Saturday??? Sounds about right- there's a 30-40 minute wait there on a slow day.
Ms. Shipman seems more concerned about her new car than her dogs. "I've only had the car 2 months. It was the first new car he ever bought me"

The couple states they brought the dogs with them because they suffer severe separation anxiety. If that's so, why leave them in the car? Wouldn't that be too much for them, parked under a bridge where the traffic is constantly making noise, people walking by-they were in west end, and the parking for Dicks is under the highway in a fenced off area.

Obviously the police and firefighters felt warranted in what they did. Imagine getting a call from 2 passerbys who state there is barking coming from the trunk of a car, even on a day when (as the shipmans state) it was 55 degrees. Yeah, they arrive, see no dogs, hear barking or whining and don't know if an animal is hurt so they open the trunk.

Moral of the story, if you value your new car, don't lock your dogs in the trunk.
If you do however decide to lock said dogs in the trunk, don't sue the city when they use the jaws of life to open said car like a tuna can to rescue your dogs, or be upset when they slap a fine and an animal cruelty charge on you.

They called his cell phone..... It states that in several of the articles.

He left 2 dogs in a trunk for at least an hour (as referenced by interviews and articles where they state, "an hour later his cell phone rang")
Maybe you should be locked in a trunk for an hour and see how well you fare?

"We've spent our lives trying to build the safest possible vehicle to transport livestock down the interstate," Shipman said.
"The dogs come to work with me every day and I travel a lot with my work as well. They travel with me wherever I go," John Shipman said.
His wife added, "They sleep in bed with us. They sit on the furniture with us in our home."

http://www.kten.com/story/16501658/p...re-like-family

Yet, this couple didn't have carseats or crates in their vehicle to safely transport their "$1,000" dogs and keep them from stepping on the unlock button and potentially being stolen from the car, so they had to lock them in the trunk???

The Shipmans admit on camera (so no "half truths") that the dogs were locked in the trunk with the back seat opened "a crack" for air. They go on to state that due the high cost of the dogs they wanted to prevent them from accessing the interior of the car which could have led to them being stolen. They admit to going into a sit down restaurant to meet a friend (police officer) and have lunch. What their friend being a police officer has to do with the story is beyond me. Having a meal in a restaurant is at least a one hour event as confirmed by the Shipmans. So while these "dog lovers" were enjoying a meal their "family members" were locked in a trunk despite suffering from seperation anxiety as told by the Shipmans. The Shipmans feel that they are being judged harshly as a result of us lacking the facts. I am judging them harshly because of the facts that they themselves stated.

The restaurant they were in is not a one hour event.... More like 2-3. They were at dicks last resort, it's an hour just to get a table on a Saturday, sometimes longer.

Wow even worse! I can't understand how this could be considered anything other than cruel. I recall once when I was on vacation and everyone wanted to go to a particular restaurant. So while everyone else was inside I grabbed something from the takeout menu and Chloe and I enjoyed a picnic LOL. There is just never a good reason to leave your dog trapped in a vehicle.

In the trunk no less. With no air, no windows etc.

If Mr Shipman takes the dogs EVERYWHERE with him,then he could potentially leave them in the car on a regular basis,hmmmmm.
They feel that they are being harshly judged? REALLY?! The truth is they did something stupid,got caught,resulting in damage to a NEW car and embarassment to them personally. I say again stupid should hurt. If he owns his own company that handles equipment for animals then this could hurt a bit more and they are now doing some serious damage control. Besides a lawyer they are probably going to need a bit of good PR work done.