Dogs and Vehicles
It's a nice warm day, and you and your beagle friend Bert are headed off to the beach. But first, you need to stop to pick up some gas and groceries, and while you're in the store you run into an old friend. Before you know it, Bert could be suffering or even dead.
Every year, as the weather gets warm, animal rescue organizations spread the word: Don't leave your dog in a hot car. And every year, dog-in-car deaths make up a depressing number of animal abuse stories.
A car (or truck or van) can act like a greenhouse, trapping heat. Even with the windows slightly open, the temperature inside a car can reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit in half an hour, while the air outside the car remains at 85. Even leaving the dog in the car "just for a minute" can be harmful.
When there's the slightest doubt, leave your dog at home, with plenty of water and a place to rest in the shade. If you see a dog in a parked car on a hot day, particularly if it is panting or acting restless, try to find the owner (perhaps by having him or her paged in a store) or call police.
In hot weather, also avoid forcing your dog to walk on hot pavement (choose shady, grassy routes instead). Never let a dog ride in the bed of a pickup truck, which is dangerous at any time, but in summer carries the additional risk of burning its paw pads on hot metal.
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Comments (3)
Xgeoph Ray August 3, 2009 7:30 PM
If I'm at a store or a shopping mall and notice a dog in a car by itself on a hot day, I notify the Guest counter or Security - as I explain it to them, I let them know I'll call the police if they aren't interested in taking care of it. Most places (all I've encountered) will take action and avoid having Police at their store (probably doesn't look good). It's everyone's responsibility to protect these animals. Please do the same.
psg723 August 26, 2009 5:37 PM
I usually saw this at work (I work in retail) we always paged the customer if we had to make a second page it stated that we were gonna call the police. Some people are just so clueless. They should be locked in the car for the same amount of time to see how they handle it.
MauserGirl September 2, 2009 5:57 PM
It really depends on the situation.
There are many good dog owners who will stop at a 7-11 store to pick up soda and ice cream on the way home from the park. They're in and out in less than 10 minutes, their dog is safe in the back of the car, with the windows open, probably still wet from swimming in the pond. In that situation, I have no problem with the dog being in the car for a few minutes.
Then you have people who are just plain clueless and will leave Fifi in the back of the car, windows barely cracked, while they go shopping inside the mall for a few hours. That's just stupid, and whenever I see someone's dog left in a mall parking lot or at a restaurant and the like, I will go to the customer service's counter or the nearest security person and point it out to them.
And let's not forget that WORKING dogs are in a category of their own. Unlike our pet dogs, working dogs are outside, in vehicles, and on hot pavement no matter what the temperatures are. Working dogs, including sport dogs, are very commonly left crated in vehicles with the windows open and often with fans attached to their crates and, unlike most pets, well used to the temperatures they're in. If you see a car clearly marked as "Working Dogs", "Search Dogs", etc. and there are dogs inside, even on a hot day, LEAVE THEM ALONE.
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