Dogs in hot car

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RVMommaTo6

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When we were in Yellowstone, it was hot and sunny outside, in the 80s. We parked next to a vehicle with 2 dogs in it. The back windows were cracked about an inch or two. The dogs appeared over heated, panting hard, and it HAD to be brutally hot in there. At home, it's legal to break the car window, but idk the laws anywhere else so I didn't dare. (And it was an expensive car)
So I pushed a bottled water through the window opening and poured a puddle of water for the dogs on the leather seat. ?
 
;D ;D Good for you.  I probably would have told a Park Ranger if I had seen one. 
 
SpencerPJ said:
;D ;D Good for you.  I probably would have told a Park Ranger if I had seen one.

X 2 or the police. Stupid people.  28 states have laws against it:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/pets/it%E2%80%99s-illegal-to-leave-pets-in-your-car-in-these-states/ar-BBQYfiq
 
Good for you.  I'm afraid I would have left a pointed note with my phone number and then made a call to local LEO.  That's awful.
 
If it's necessary to leave pets in a car on a sunny day, at least leave the vehicle idling with the a/c on. And check back frequently to make sure the vehicle continues to keep running. In addition, if at all possible, find a shady spot even if it means the owners have to walk a long way. However, the safest way is for the owners to take turns staying with the pets while the other sees the sights.
 
Depending on where parked
If in a Park (RV or otherwise) notify rangers/management
If on the street or in a "Public" lot  Humane society.

I have a friend I've never actually met (Talked to him via ham radio a few times) his name is Mac.. he works for the humane society and ... Well if he finds your dogs in a car like that.. YOu will NOT be happy.. You also will no longer have dogs, or cats, or pets of any kind.. But .. Good chance they won't be allowed in your new home.

(Animal abuse in MI is a felony).
 
I hate hearing about stupid, ignorant dog owners & parents of babies  who leave them in hot cars, so good on you for at least getting water to the dogs.  I would have contacted a ranger and if one was not readily available, I would have broken the window, then since I have dogs and always have water bowls and water, would have given them some.
 
Yeah I agree with you all! That was too hot to leave them in the sun like that. They should have had the windows open more, or more windows open. It was in a shadeless lot in a touristy area. I waited a few minutes to see if they were just out taking a quick picture, but the dogs behaviors made me believe they had been in there already long enough to get hot. There were people walking by who all seemed to agree, some laughed and some gave verbal affirmation, nobody was like, "wtf are you doing?!" Lol
 
Tonight in Nashua NH we stopped at a favorite watering hole and found a F150 idling in the parking lot.

There was a sign on the windshield and the drivers window stating that please don?t break the the window, there is a dog in here and the truck is running and the A/C is on full. Come in to the restaurant if there is an issue.

That was considerate for the really gorgeous dog in the truck.
 
When we had dogs we would only leave them in the car if it was really cool out. We were staying at a Drury Inn in Shilo, IL. The Drury Inn allows pets but our dog didn?t like being in the room by herself. This chain offers cocktails and nibbles in the evening. I would take our dog out for a walk in the evening and then put her in the car with windows cracked and then join my wife for cocktails. It was probably in the 50?s and raining. I was probably gone 45 minutes to an hour. There was a nasty note on our car saying if the found our dog unattended in the car again they would call the police. She was not in any distress. She liked to curl up on the passenger seat and nap. We would never leave her in a hot car.
 
Some people do get a little carried away thinking they're protecting someone else's pet. A fellow once complained to a LEO on break in a convenience store that my dog was left closed up in my car in the hot sun. The officer came out to see what was going on just as I finished filling the gas tank and was hanging up the hose. When he told me about the complaint, I pointed out that four windows were wide open, and there was a moderate breeze blowing in the 75 degree temps. He laughed and said he would tell the complainer to look a little closer at the situation before complaining next time...
 
Yeah going in to pay for gas is one thing, that's why I waited first, because if they just got out to use the bathroom or take a picture of something, that's reasonable.
Gator, leaving a dog unattended isn't against the law, let 'em call all day long. It's not like you left a 2 year old!
 
{RANT}  I get doubly incensed when inconsiderate and oblivious pet owners take their pets to inappropriate places and then end up leaving them in a car because there is no other place for them. Why do they feel they must have their dog (or whatever) with them every place they go? Or that the pet is better off in their parked car than at home or in their RV or hotel room?  {END-RANT}
 
We travel with two cats.  When we leave the RV, unless it's quite cool, we always turn the AC on.  But even when it's cool, we also leave fans running and have several windows open just in case. 
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
{RANT}  I get doubly incensed when inconsiderate and oblivious pet owners take their pets to inappropriate places and then end up leaving them in a car because there is no other place for them. Why do they feel they must have their dog (or whatever) with them every place they go? Or that the pet is better off in their parked car than at home or in their RV or hotel room?  {END-RANT}

I'm with you Gary.  If we're going somewhere where we'll probably be leaving the car to eat or sight-see at a place where dogs aren't allowed, he stays in the RV.  If we're just driving around to check on our various campgrounds or spend an afternoon out in the boonies with our Jeep, he rides along.
If we decide to get a meal while the dog is with us, we'll pick a place with a drive-through and get him a portion.
 
Our lifestyle changed considerably when we've had dogs (currently have a mother and daughter cockapoo). We don't fly (except individually) and make cross country trips together by car, staying in pet friendly hotels (or in the coach). One of us always stays with the dogs, either in the hotel or in a parked car. The dogs love time in the coach and, if we're unable to take them on a car drive, we ensure that the coach thermostats are set appropriately, they have plenty of water, and we'll sometimes ask a neighbor to look in on the dogs &/or let them out for potty breaks.

Several months ago, while we were driving across country, I was going to post the following, but decided not to when I heard a news report of a couple of infants dying in a parked hot car when 'forgotten' by a parent. The timing just didn't seem appropriate to post...


It's mind boggling that freeway/highway signs have to be posted to remind folks not to leave their kids and pets in the back seat of a parked hot car. There are also numerous in-car alarm options and phone apps for the purpose, and we have proposed legislation - Hot Cars Act of 2019 - that would require auto manufacturers to design & build "child reminders" into new vehicles (some manufacturers already have this).

Tragically, a reported 'average' of 37 children and an unknown number of pets die each year, having been "forgotten" when an inattentive driver walked away from their car. In 2018, 52 children died in hot cars. We even have a name for it - 'forgotten baby syndrome', and a bunch of med/phsyc explanations/excuses for it.

It's been a habit of mine to do a headcount before taking off in a vehicle and when we disembark, and I'll ask out loud "everyone aboard? (or out)". With a growing family, the kids who could talk were encouraged to vocally join in the headcount tally, and the habit continued with grandkids. To add awareness, I'll ask "did we leave xxx behind?"
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
{RANT}  I get doubly incensed when inconsiderate and oblivious pet owners take their pets to inappropriate places and then end up leaving them in a car because there is no other place for them. Why do they feel they must have their dog (or whatever) with them every place they go? Or that the pet is better off in their parked car than at home or in their RV or hotel room?  {END-RANT}
It seems so obvious!!! My kids say the same thing and they don't hold common sense records by any means. They're always saying, "why would you bring your dog here?!" Especially to places like Yellowstone where walking off a boardwalk could literally kill it.
 
RVMommaTo6 said:
Yeah going in to pay for gas is one thing, that's why I waited first, because if they just got out to use the bathroom or take a picture of something, that's reasonable.
Gator, leaving a dog unattended isn't against the law, let 'em call all day long. It's not like you left a 2 year old!

I paid at the pump, Amanda, and was standing right there pumping my gas the whole time! I saw a fellow kind of staring at my dog sitting in the back seat before he went in, but I didn't think anything of it. If she'd been too hot, I expect she would have stuck her head out the window. She was getting old, but I'm pretty sure she would have figured that much out... :)
 
NY_Dutch said:
Some people do get a little carried away thinking they're protecting someone else's pet. A fellow once complained to a LEO on break in a convenience store that my dog was left closed up in my car in the hot sun. The officer came out to see what was going on just as I finished filling the gas tank and was hanging up the hose. When he told me about the complaint, I pointed out that four windows were wide open, and there was a moderate breeze blowing in the 75 degree temps. He laughed and said he would tell the complainer to look a little closer at the situation before complaining next time...
I had the same thing happen at a restaurant here in FL last spring. All four windows were down about three inches and it was warm, but cloudy and looked like rain. I had a clear view of my car from the restaurant. Somebody complained and two police officers went table by table looking for me. We went outside I guess to show the complainers they were doing their job. My dog wasn't panting and woke up wondering what all the commotion was about. They told me I wasn't doing anything wrong, but to appease the complainers could I roll the windows down a bit more.
 

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