No, I’m not talking about the common ballpark food, I’m talking about dogs left in cars, a recent phenomena which seems to have risen in epic numbers judging from social media reports. This latest story however, proves I can no longer be silent about this terrible trend. WHAT THE &#@% IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE???????
Sheesh, it’s bad enough when I see people taking dogs with them out to dinner in my neighborhood only to (a) leave the dog tied up to a parking meter or worse, (b) leave the dog in the car while they nosh and yuck it up over drinks and a meal in one of the many trendy restaurants in our ‘hood with their equally clueless friends…their poor pet languishing on hot sidewalks at the mercy of strollers rolling over paws and tails or getting tangled up with people walking the area. Not to mention those dogs who act aggressively toward their manacled brethren (or vice versa) or the ones suffering alone in a car that is anywhere from 20-40 degrees hotter than the outside ambient temperature with no water or ability to control the heat. This is animal cruelty people, plain and simple!
Then there are those who just can’t seem to help themselves by taking Fido shopping with them. I mean who in their right mind takes a dog shopping??? I love Sam dearly and want him with me whenever possible, but I have the good sense to leave him at home when I go shopping. It seems ridiculous to take him to the grocery store, yet I can’t tell you how many times I’ll dash off for some milk and see dogs sitting on the back riser baking in the sun or hanging their heads out of a partially cracked window desperately seeking relief. Which prompts a terse visit with the store manager for an announcement over the PA for the owner to come forward. I’ve left notes on windshields using not so lady-like language to those cretins and been seconds from calling the police when the idiot owner arrives and gives me the what-for about minding my own business. Talk about doubling down on bad behavior. Yikes!
Is it that people just don’t realize the consequences and exactly how hot it gets in a parked car? On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a vehicle can easily reach 100-120 degrees in mere minutes. On a 90-degree day, it can reach 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes! Dogs do not have the ability to cool themselves down as easily as us uprights and once overheated, can suffer organ damage, heatstroke, even death in as little as 15 minutes.
So the next time you’re out and about, please leave your pup at home. It’s more than a bad idea, it’s cruel and can be a chargeable offense. You might as well just put your pooch in a hot oven and bake cookies. It’s better to leave them at home when you have shopping and errands to run, unless you can always bring him inside with you.
What if you see a dog in a locked car and cannot find the owner? The ASPCA recommends calling animal control or 911. Maybe a few more broken windows will wake people up. I know it seems ridiculous to have to say this, but spread the word and sign the Hot Car Pledge. Surely the only reason people that do this is because just don’t realize the dangers associated with leaving dogs in cars. And if your municipality doesn’t have laws prohibiting pets from being left unattended in parked cars, start lobbying for one.
Whew, I know I got really worked up over this issue, but when I see it happen or read yet another story about it, it’s hard for me not to get worked up about it. Okay, now I’ll climb off my soapbox and enjoy a nice hot dog (but a vegetarian version :)) that is the quintessential summertime food and try to stay cool during the Dog Days of August. Just don’t get me started about runners with dogs on hot pavement!
We are so with you on this one! the pugs stay home when we are out shopping, Drives me crazy too. Same with the extreme cold we are having now. Why do they think their dog wants to freeze in the car while your shopping. ARRGGGhhh!!!
People are unbelievably stupid and this issue is a real hot button for me. I know from my own experience, when the outside temperature is cold, it’s even colder in a car. Same in reverse when it’s hot. And don’t get me started on people who take their pups with them when they go out to dinner. Why in bloody blue blazes do you take your dog with you when you go out to dinner only to leave them in the car????? Grrrr.
It’s when police dogs die in hot cars that we get totally out of control at the stupid people.
Absolutely agree! I was about 10 seconds away from calling on one in the Home Depot parking lot last week!
Same goes for people who bring their dogs to summer street festivals. Not only is the pavement sizzling hot with little chance for shade or water but it’s also stressful for dogs to be in crowds of strange people, many of whom are drunk d-bags!
Yup, and that’s a whole ‘nother post!
I was with you 100% up to that “vegetarian hot dog” reference.
But you’re right about dogs in cars. No figuring how clueless and plain old dumb some folks are. Makes you wonder if they were dropped on their heads as kids or forcefully swung against a wall.
Haha-there actually are some decent vegetarian hot dogs out there, but to each his own [wink].
But I’d definitely love to drop them on their heads or swing them against the wall now!
Totally agree. We called the police to save a dog in a car over Memorial Day weekend. It was 87 degrees here which translates to 145 inside the car!!! We were scared for that golden and the cops were there in three minutes. People literally don’t get it. Sad.
I just don’t get it! I can’t even begin what goes on in the mind of some people but this trend is so dangerous for thousands of dogs each year. Breaks my heart. The saddest part about the story that prompted this rant was they released the dog back to that idiot woman who went hiking!! Ugh.