leaving dogs in car

[MyGirlHeidi]

Did you know that you can take your dogs into Home Depot? They don't exactly advertise it, but they do allow dogs as long as they are well behaved.

I wish I would have known that. We had Heidi with us and had a spur of the moment decision to run into Home Depot..it was around 10:30 am and was starting to get a little hot. I didn't want to go in and leave Heidi in the car, so my DH went in and I sat in the car with her to make sure she didn't get too hot. If I'd only know we could have all went in there! Thanks for the info

 

[Kareng528]

I am sorry, but I am glad that a concerned citizen called the police. I don't live too far from you (Northern Virginia) and know how the weather is here. When you put the outside temperature together with the humidity, it makes it right miserable (especially if you are in a closed car). I don't take the chance with my pup, even though he loves the car ride.

 

[LeahR]

Everyone thinks we are crazy cause in the Summer when we have Mason and Aspen with us in the car and have to run errands we leave them in the car with the A/C on. I keep an extra set of keys in my purse so we are able to leave the car running and lock it. Our pups never break a sweat!!!!!! It is funny cause I have a home depot story too,, About 3 weeks ago my husband wanted to run into HD to pick up a few things we had run out of for our lawn and plants. We were coming back from the park and had the dogs with us. It was really warm, we cranked the A/C in the car, locked it and ran in ( Mind you my husband has HD memorized so we knew we'd be 10 minutes max) Anyhow, when we got out to our car there was an officer pulled up to our car. He started go on and on about taking our dogs away from us, ticketing us for animal cruelty etc etc etc. Well anyhow, our SUV in newer and very quiet, the cop was parked at the front of the car and didn't notice the trail of water from the A/C in the back. When we told him the dogs weren't hot, as a matter of fact they were probably chilly we all started to laugh...... Then he told us it was also against the law to leave your car running in a parking lot :(. He didn't give us a ticket and we'll still probably do it occaisionally but it was a funny situation nontheless!

 

[alliwhite]

I have to say that I live in MD and I think it has been too hot these past few days to leave your dogs in the car. Besides, the person had no idea that you would be back in only 15 minutes. I can't say I totally blame her!

 

[djsilvera]

<i> I have to say that I live in MD and I think it has been too hot these past few days to leave your dogs in the car. Besides, the person had no idea that you would be back in only 15 minutes. I can't say I totally blame her! <\i>

True, but yesterday was an exception to the hot weather. A cold front came in on Saturday night. Although no-one can say that it was "cool" yesterday, when we took the dogs to Home Depot. It was pretty cloudy, and it was at around 6pm in the afternoon.

I looked at Weather Underground:
http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KNAK/2004/5/17/DailyHistory.html?FULLALMANAC=KBWI

It said that the temperature was around 77 degrees at around 6pm and the wind speed was around 10mph. With the dew point, it was 70 degrees. And if you look scroll down, under 5:54 PM, it says "Haze" and 6:54 PM, it says "Light Rain."

Hardly conditions for dogs to dehydrate.

I think it's like what Andi20 said, the people who called the cops couldn't actually be bothered to assess the situation. I don't think they really cared to see whether the dogs were okay; they just wanted to pretend that they did something good.

 

[Tricia77]

I am afraid I prefer people to err towards protecting the dogs. They could have waited a few minutes to see if you came out - we've done that often enough. My habit is I wait with the dogs while hubby shops or leave them at home. My mom is one of those "crazy" people who have called the cops - but this was Florida and very hot! The lady proceeded to punch my SIL in the face (my mom would have decked her) and has many many court dates for animal abuse and aggravated assault.

Would you leave a child in the car for 15 minutes?

Tricia

 

[djsilvera]

Would you leave a child in the car for 15 minutes?]

Nope. But I wouldn't leave a child home alone for up to 8 hours either. Don't have a choice with the dogs. I don't think the comparison is fair. I know the dogs prefer to sit inside the car for 15 minutes at a time and be with us when we do our errands than sit at home for 1-2 hours.

We only take them on errands in the early morning or in the late afternoon during the work week. That's because we feel so guilty for being away from the house for so long.

P.S.
The cops said that if one of us stayed in the car, it would have been "all right" even if the AC was not running. But even if you were checking in on them every 2 minutes, it would not have been "all right."

 

[Tricia77]

You're right about unfair comparison, but I didnt mean it that way. Would you have sat that day in the car without the air on - or open the door. Even nice days outside can be smoking hot inside.

Its frustrating to have people question you, but wouldnt you prefer to think someone was looking out for your babies? Even at the cost of being embarassed?

Maybe just be glad people care.

Tricia

 

[VTbxrFan]

77 degrees, in my opinion, is too warm to leave dogs in the car. I don't think I would call the cops if I saw dogs in a car at that temperature unless I saw signs of distress, but I know I wouldn't leave my dog in a car at that temperature. Even with windows down, it's warmer in the car than outside, and it can quickly get to a temperature that's uncomfortable for dogs and even dangerous. I know that for myself, I can't even stand to sit in the car long enough for my husband to pump gas if it's warmer than about 70 degrees - I open the door all the way or even get out of the car because it gets hot and stuffy really fast.

This is of course my decision and we all have our own comfort levels, but I'm not sure that getting angry at the person who was trying to do what she felt was right for your dogs is justified in this particular situation. She had no way of knowning you'd just checked on the dogs or how long your were going to be in there. I think this is one of those times when "better safe than sorry" applies.

 

[djsilvera]

I live in probably one of the dog capitals in the world. Every time I go to the store, I am GUARANTEED to see a dog in a car.

I see a lot of things that should be done differently. As a concerned citizen, should I call the cops every time I see one? Should I call the cops every time I see a dog that's tied in the front lawn? Or what about when I see people driving really fast in their *open* Jeeps with the dogs not harnessed in? Or what about when I see people walking their dogs off leash in my busy downtown neighborhood?

Oooh, and don't even get me started on people buying their pups at a pet store.

"Better safe than sorry."