What to do when you see a dog in a hot car

[yorkietalkjilly]

It was hot the other day and the drive through to the pharmacy was backed up and I needed to leave off a prescription. I just grabbed Tibbe up in my arms as in his carrier, the weight is too much, went in the Walgreen's and asked the manager if I could just drop off my prescription without leaving my dog in the hot car and he said yes. Nice man!

Trouble was a little boy came up from behind and just grabbed onto Tibbe's hind leg before I knew what was happening while we were in line at the pharmacy desk. Thankfully he didn't get a good enough hold to hurt him before I disengaged him and his father got him. Took me so by surprise as I never heard him coming up from behind. If it's not one thing it's the other with having dogs out in cars and on the go with us. We were on our way back from the vet or I wouldn't have even had Tibbe with me. I've gotten so I very rarely take him out in the car in the Texas heat - too many things could go wrong.

[Ldyrev1]

Originally Posted by xoCourtney

Am I the only one who doesn't think ALL people who leave their dog in a car is being a bad pet owner? I mean the way I see it if Miley and I were going to say the park or something and I had to run into walmart or somewhere to get something quick I would hope I didn't come back to a busted window with my dog missing...dogs just aren't aloud in some stores for obvious reasons but I don't think that makes the pet owner a bad person...I mean they're trying to get their dog out vs. leaving them at home alone all day.

PLEASE understand I am NOT saying it is OKAY to leave a dog in a car for long periods of time (sunshine or no sunshine)! But unfortunately dogs are NOT aloud in every store. If I'm going grocery shopping or somewhere Miley isn't aloud for long periods of time I would obviously leave her at home.

For your own knowledge and peace of mind you might want to google dogs in cars to see who quickly the heat can rise inside a car and how quickly your puppy can be overcome by heat exhaustion. I don't want to criticize but I read somewhere that it can be as little as 5 minutes and I have never been able to get into and get out of Wal-Mart in that amount of time. It's just not possible. Please check into it.

[lovespandp]

It’s not only the heat in a car why we shouldn't leave our pets in the car. People will break your windows to steal your dog. I have heard a handful of stories where Yorkies were left in the car and when the owner came back their window was broken, and the yorkie was gone.. it just isn't safe. Even if it’s for 5 mins, that is too long. I know I would never ever risk that.

[Ldyrev1]

Originally Posted by lovespandp

It’s not only the heat in a car why we shouldn't leave our pets in the car. People will break your windows to steal your dog. I have heard a handful of stories where Yorkies were left in the car and when the owner came back their window was broken, and the yorkie was gone.. it just isn't safe. Even if it’s for 5 mins, that is too long. I know I would never ever risk that.

[Jellybaby]

Originally Posted by lovespandp

It’s not only the heat in a car why we shouldn't leave our pets in the car. People will break your windows to steal your dog. I have heard a handful of stories where Yorkies were left in the car and when the owner came back their window was broken, and the yorkie was gone.. it just isn't safe. Even if it’s for 5 mins, that is too long. I know I would never ever risk that.

I agree with the above....a guy told me recently that his friend had a yorkie. She unloaded her groceries into her car, put her yorkie in the car and returned her shopping trolley. When she walked back to her car her dog was gone, someone had stolen the poor little dog in the few minutes she was away.

[yorkietalkjilly]

And carjackers badly in need of money for their next fix or meal won't let a Yorkie stop them. Would be bad enough to get your car stolen but imagine if your baby was in it!

[lovespandp]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

And carjackers badly in need of money for their next fix or meal won't let a Yorkie stop them. Would be bad enough to get your car stolen but imagine if your baby was in it!

Ugh, I would die!! That is why I would never ever never leave Peanut in the car. Rain or shine- way too many people out there that would take my baby. Peanut can be at home safe and sound… he can go on the next trip with me when he can come in with me.

I don’t even like getting gas when he is in the truck. If I have to run in, I won’t leave him in there- I will only have him if I know I can use my card.

[chinalee61]

I recently had an encounter with a man at the store for leaving his dog in the car on a hot day. I went Ito the store and spoke to manager about it and wanted him to go on loud speaker to say a dog locked in car needs out. Well, as I was walking out if the store a man came up from behind me and started yelling at me for reporting him about his dog. Of course I yelled back at him. Ugly words came out from both of us and we had a screaming match in the parking lot. It got pretty ugly as people were watching, but I didn't care. He had no excuse in my book for leaving his dog in the car on a hot day. That was that, and I'll do it again if I have to.

[jadabug]

This happened today. I took my DIL to the pediatrician for Elijah visits d on our way home she wanted to stop for a few essentials. I stayed in the car with air conditioner running with Elijah and Kerra my grandkids. A car pulled up next to us and a lady and her kid got out left the windows down and a yorkie in the back seat. Poor guy was barking really hard. This was at about 10:30 am and already hot outside. The windows were down and I could have grabbed the dog and left. We waited until she came out to leave. (Total time in the store was maybe 5 minutes) she could have easily had a stolen furbaby this morning

[Nancy1999]

Taken from another site:

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals warns that dogs left in parked cars can die of heatstroke. On a 60-degree day, a parked car can reach 100 degrees, according to a study from Stanford University. Leaving windows open a few inches does not help. In only a short amount of time, a dog with a high body temperature can suffer critical damage to his nervous system, heart, liver and brain, often leading to death.

Dogs overheat more easily than people because dogs do not sweat, they pant to cool down. Don't leave dogs in cars for any amount of time | SeacoastOnline.com

I don't think it's a good idea to leave your dog in a car, I wouldn't leave a child, I wouldn't leave a dog. You guys see this thread, it's an application for phones to report animal abuse. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...dog-abuse.html

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by xoCourtney

Am I the only one who doesn't think ALL people who leave their dog in a car is being a bad pet owner? I mean the way I see it if Miley and I were going to say the park or something and I had to run into walmart or somewhere to get something quick I would hope I didn't come back to a busted window with my dog missing...dogs just aren't aloud in some stores for obvious reasons but I don't think that makes the pet owner a bad person...I mean they're trying to get their dog out vs. leaving them at home alone all day.PLEASE understand I am NOT saying it is OKAY to leave a dog in a car for long periods of time (sunshine or no sunshine)! But unfortunately dogs are NOT aloud in every store. If I'm going grocery shopping or somewhere Miley isn't aloud for long periods of time I would obviously leave her at home.

No, you are not "the only one"....I am sure there are a couple of others out there that see nothing wrong with leaving a dog in a parked car with the temp inside the car anywhere from 100* up to 140*.....I would suggest to people that it is not prudent to leave your dog inside a hot parked car...in some States, thank God, it is illegal..... I have on several occasions, called the police while standing outside a parked car with a poor pup inside in obvious distress (this can occur within 3 minutes of the car sitting in the sun), and they have come, broken the window, retrieved the poor animal and one handed the dog over to Animal Control....the other waited by the car for the person to come out, and chastised the person and presented her with a well deserved ticket. I found out later if they break out the BACK window of an SUV, it costs about 3x's the cost to replace the back window....a nice lesson taught, I think. (A breeder I know sold a puppy to a lady that had to run into Home Depot for just a minute or two to return a small item...wasnt in the store more than 10 minutes....came out and the pup was seizing...had breaindamage, so she took it back to the breeder and wanted her money back!!!)

[P-Nut Mom]

We have people breaking into cars to steal little dogs frequently around here.

Also, I call the cops if I see an animal in a car in extreme temps, it's illegal here in CA if they are left in a car unattended in conditions that could endanger them...I'm not nice enough to try to hunt the person down. Unfortunately, the first conviction for this is just a small fine, wish it were more and that the person could no longer own animals.

[xoCourtney]

Originally Posted by Britster

This^^

I am all for protecting dogs, and I think it's inhumane to leave a dog in a car on a hot day for long periods of time. But I don't think it's right to think breaking windows and calling the cops should be an immediate reaction. MANY cars have it nowadays where you can have the AC running when you are not in your car. My dads truck, stepmoms Jeep, etc, does this. You can hit a button on your remote to make your car start up before you are even in it.

Also, you do not know the situation of the dog or the owner. I would hate to think that if I leave Jackson in the car for all of 60 seconds while I run into 7-11, I'd come out to a broken window. That would be extremely more traumatizing to him than being left for a short period of time. I would never go to the mall, or into a grocery store, and leave him in the car, personally. But I think people get this idea that at all times when a dog is left in a car it's cruel and it's just not always the case. Honestly, I've been in a car on a hot day without keys or air for probably 5 mins with windows cracked and I didn't die.

Now if I see a dog that is clearly suffering, and I notice it's been a really long time, etc, I would have no qualms about calling AC or the cops. But I think it sucks that people have to be scared to leave their dogs in the car for even 30 seconds without people freaking out and calling the cops. Also, Jackson is always panting heavy in the car, even when it's 20 degrees outside... it's nervous reaction for him. I just think it's hard to judge. Are there a lot of A*holes out there who just... don't care, and leave dogs on scorching hot days for hours? Of course and that is horribly wrong. But I do think there should be limits. With that said, I would prefer to see people be more of an advocate against it than for it, so I think awareness is a good thing

You explained my thoughts much more than I did. Thank you that's literally all I was trying to say. Having crohn's disease I do go through flares sometimes and if I were on the way to somewhere with Miley in the car and had to run to the bathroom I would hope my car and dog where still the way they were when I left them there. You just don't know everybody's situation and i'm sure people don't enjoy leaving their dogs in the car for extended periods of time. Also, before YT I never knew the dangers! It might seem like common knowledge but it really isn't. I mean obviously leaving a dog in a car for like 30 minutes is common knowledge...no human is gonna sit in the car for that long without suffering a little. But as Britster said, some dogs just pant out of nervousness.

[xoCourtney]

Originally Posted by Ldyrev1

For your own knowledge and peace of mind you might want to google dogs in cars to see who quickly the heat can rise inside a car and how quickly your puppy can be overcome by heat exhaustion. I don't want to criticize but I read somewhere that it can be as little as 5 minutes and I have never been able to get into and get out of Wal-Mart in that amount of time. It's just not possible. Please check into it.

I appreciate your response but as I have stated plenty of times I am NOT okay with people leaving their dogs in cars for extended periods of time. If Miley and I are on our way to the lake for a walk which is 20 minutes away from my house and I have to stop somewhere quick where she is not aloud I don't see the problem with leaving her there for 5 minutes to grab whatever it is I need. Also you have to take into consideration where people live...Just because it might be 100 degrees everyday where you live doesn't mean thats the case where I live. After turning my car off from having the air conditioning on my car does not warm up in 5 minutes...again, your car may be different but thats just not the case for my vehicle.

[xoCourtney]

Originally Posted by lovespandp

It’s not only the heat in a car why we shouldn't leave our pets in the car. People will break your windows to steal your dog. I have heard a handful of stories where Yorkies were left in the car and when the owner came back their window was broken, and the yorkie was gone.. it just isn't safe. Even if it’s for 5 mins, that is too long. I know I would never ever risk that.

See now THAT'S a fair statement and I have NO disagreements towards that. I did invest in a Jaraden carrier so even if Miley isn't aloud somewhere if she can sit quite I'm going to sneak her in.