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The warm-cool days of spring and fall are particularly dangerous for animals left in cars. The temperatures fluctuate wildly, and it is easy to be caught off-guard as cool temperatures rise quickly.
It might be easy to look the other way. The owner must be coming right back to the dog in the car, right? Maybe not. How long has the owner already been away? Just how hot is it in there? Studies have shown that even on a "cool" day of 82F, the temperature can reach 109F inside a closed car in minutes.
If you saw an animal left unattended in a car, would you call for assistance? Please vote in the poll and share experiences, tips and comments here.
Related Reading:
- Dangers of Pets Left in Cars
- What are the signs of heatstroke in pets?
- Tips to prevent heatstroke in your pet
- Do dogs know when to stop and rest in summer heat?
- Tips for keeping your pet cool and comfortable in summertime heat
Comments
I would do everything necessary to save a dog in a hot car, including breaking or shooting out a window, being careful to pick one away from the dog. I would then gain entry to the vehicle and remove the dog, telephone the animial control officer, and leave the rest to her. Assuming the dog was friendly, I would wait for the dog officer in my air conditioned van. I do NOT take my dog with me in the summer, even with the A/C because the time between the engine stalling and my getting back to be dog could be enough for my dog, whom I trust with my life, to die.
Absolutely I would call for assistance.
This past springtime, I saw a Shih Tzu up in the window area on top of the back seat of a car at a grocery store. I couldn’t even believe the windows were not cracked! Thankfully, it was still cool out, but that was when I made my decision to intervene from now on if I ever see a pet in a car on a warm day.
That night I took a couple dozen printouts of a free brochure I received from the HSUS about how leaving a pet in a car can be dangerous, even deadly, stapled some of my business cards to them, and am ready to put them on cars with animals in them even on days when it is NOT warm.
Thankfully, I haven’t seen any animals in parked cars since. But I’m ready to march into the stores and have store personnel page whomever might be parked in their lot and/or call the police.
And if the car happens to be parked in a nonpopulated area, I’ll call the police first and then bust a window out if I have to. People don’t realize that this is a prime opportunity for someone to bust a window out and steal their prized companion. It happens, no matter what the weather’s like.
a visitor to one of my neighbors left her little poodle in the car while she was visiting. I still remember, 20 years later, her cries of anguish when she came out and discovered the dog dead in the car. I ran to help, and put the dog into cool water to try to revive it, but it was too late; rigor mortis had already set in. Bottom line: do anything you can to get an animal out of a car on a hot day. Break a window, call a cop, pry the door open. Educate people!
The only problem is that leaving a dog in the car is not a crime. It definitely should be! The other day my mother saw a dog in the car at the grocery store. She waited by the car for the owner to come out while she phoned the police. The police showed up and told my mom that while they appreciated what she was trying to do, the man had not committed a crime. UGH!!!! What the heck.
I would definitely intervene and have in the past. I was recently at a PetSmart where it was reported that someone had left their dog in the car in hot weather while they shopped. What is STUPID is they can bring the pets inside the store !! I told the Manager if he did not call the police, I WOULD! I had my cell phone ready but was told the Store would handle it. I heard they located that person in the store and the person said “the Dog is Fine!” I could not believe it!
I also have had the same experiences as the others. I volunteer at a petsmart wtrh homless animal adoption and we learned some fool had left two dogs in the car in the summer. By the time they were removed and brought into the vet in the store one was dead and the other clse, but survived. We were all sick over it and how incredibly selfish and stupid the owner was. No matter how much they regret it later it doesn’t make up for a decions they can never take back.
As for finding animals in cars, my question is what do you do when you can;t break the window- it;s not that easy. Also I;ve had the experienve of the cops coming and only tickting the car with the dog still inside, they take to action to recu3e the dog since they don;t think it breaks the law. can you spell animal cruelty?
However I also would and have done all i can to secur an animals freedom from any threeatening condition and it’s good reading abotu others who do also.
hello,this is ONE thing that angers me alot.I work at the local supermarket here in MINOT,nd and i see this all the time.WHY do people go to the store and leave their animals in the car???Please,do your animals a favor,when it’s hot outside,leave your pets at home.A car can,even when the window is cracked,heat up alot.your animals deserve to be left at home where it’s cool.lori
I called the police when I came across a black lab in a van very much in distress with tongue hanging out and pacing crazily back and forth. The police told me there was nothing they could do. The dog could have had a bowl of water that I couldn’t see and the windows were cracked. I have never wasted my time since that day. I asked the policeman if it happened to be a child, would the same apply? He said, “Well … that’s a different story.” I made up flyers regarding HOT DOGS and the heat stroke signs and just leave it on the wind shield when I see a poor dog with such a stupid owner!