Dogs Being Left In Hot Cars

[TessiesTracey]

There was a lady on the local Gold Coast news the other night who had the police approach her after she left her two dogs in the car outside the court room she was attending in Southport somewhere. She was most put out at having a news camera in her face, and insisted that the dogs were ok, as was the cat that was left in the car too - only the cat could not be found - had apparently escaped out of the crack of the window... !

[Sheridan]

If someone's a genuinely responsible dog owner who cares about his/her dogs, you don't automatically become an irresponsible/bad owner whose windows deserve to be smashed in just because you occasionally leave your dogs alone in the car under controlled conditions.

Nobody deserves to have windows broken, it is what sometimes has to happen to release a dog from a car.

I am not sure why you keep posting. You asked what other people do with their dogs, we told you, and you seem to take it as a personal insult. We don't do what we do with our own dogs with your needs in mind.

We are talking about days, not evening or night time. Nobody really cares what you do with your dog when you go out for a Pizza, and if it's dark, nobody will notice your dog anyway, unless it is barking its head off.

As long as people know how hot it can get in a stationary car with no ventilation, they will probably choose to avoid doing that to their dog. Nothing you said has made any difference to that. I hope people have taken away something useful from this topic.

As I pointed in an earlier post, evenings can be quite warm.

[shyfig]

For extra information about the risks associated with leaving dogs in cars unattended google AND read the many articles available.

[Aso]

I pulled up at the back of Coles carpark one day, a woman departed with three kids and Gran in tow and left her Golden Retriever in the car with the top of the windows down about four inches. I elected to wait, because it was 10am and already 30 degrees and straight away I was concerned. After twelve minutes or so, the dog, it had started become very heat distressed so I called the Police with location and number plate to be greeted with "A dog?! Well what do you want to do about it, we're very busy you know?" I'm sure they are, but I basically asked for the Policeman's name and gave him mine and said "Well, I'm going to smash the windows in in five minutes and when you get a call about vanadalism and my description, I want your name to verify I called for help and NOTHING happened. Either that or this dog die a pretty horrible death" . Suffice to say he would send a car as soon as one returned from a call (busy holiday period). Five slow minutes ticked by and I was walking back with a tyre lever in hand to start smashing windows, the dog had started crying in distress by this stage and out floats this woman, kids and grandma. All looking at me standing next to the window, with a couple of lookers on, tyre lever in hand.

I told her I was about to smash her windows in and had called the police with her vehicle details because of her dog, which she had hurriedly got out at this stage and I helped get this lovely GR to a shady bit under some shrubs.This woman was a well dressed and articulate woman, I may add ,and she said angily "All right, I was only gone five minutes,you didn't haveto call the Police". I told her the exact time she left and the exact time she got back and that it was actually twenty minutes. I told her to ,get the bottled water they just bought and start cooling the dog down and get it to a vet asap because it needed attention. The thing is, I really do think that woman honestly thought it was five minutes and even five minutes given the right circumstances will seriously effect a dog or kill it.

The last view I had was the dog laid out on its side under the shade of a shrub with water being poured on it, panting furiously , it was too distressed to drink and I hope it didn't end up with any long term internal damage. As I was driving away from the Supermarket, I saw a Policewagon headed towards coles and I like to think it was to investigate my complaint in the record time of fifteen minutes after notification.

Sorry, I'm not trying to lecture but aside from five minutes in Summerheat being potentially deadly, it is sooooo easy to lose track of time.

I am one of those people who's 5 minutes can very easily double if not triple therefore I make sure that if I can't keep the aircon on and see what the little monster is doing, I don't leave him in the car.

[Staranais]

I've had some window grills custom made for my station wagon windows so that they can all be left 2/3 unwound. I also have a crate in the back so that on really hot days, I can pop the back up & leave it open and the dog is contained in the crate. With a silver sun reflector on the windscreen, it stays pretty cool in there (I know because I've tried it out myself). Not sure if it would be cool enough for Aussie temperatures, though.

I still wouldn't leave her in there for long periods on a hot day if I couldn't supervise her regularly.

We can't take dogs into Bunnings here, I wish we could!

[Adza]

You can take dogs in to Bunnings. ;)

I

Are you sure? Most Bunnings have cafes now.

I've always taken Justice in. There's about three Bunnings stores not far from me and none of them have cafes. Maybe they don't have the same market for them in Adelaide?

Hmm don't know, my local one has a cafe? I haven't seen anyone with dogs before either, but if she happens to be with us I take her for a walk they have grass everywhere. But that's if it's to get one thing and go, not hang around, otherwise I wouldn't take her with me.

I'm not a bunnings fan my OH spends hours in there

[erinonthefarm]

Why is Australia so different to Europe- I was stunned to learn how many places allow pets on public transport, accomodation ect.

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

Why is Australia so different to Europe- I was stunned to learn how many places allow pets on public transport, accomodation ect.

I have been trying to figure that one out for years...dogs are pretty much allowed everywhere in Europe, UK and USA...it's just that we're backward here!

We don't even have rabies to worry about either!

Melbourne is the most dog friendly city I've lived in - dogs ARE allowed on public transport and there ARE cafe's which allow dogs to be seated with their owner/s at tables. There ARE some dog friendly beaches, parks and forests too. But it doesn't go far enough IMO.

[fainty_girl]

A few months ago my mum and I noticed that 2 dogs were left in a car on a hot morning in direct sunlight with the windows wound up. What was even worse was that one of the dogs had a thick jumper on! There was a police station down the road and went there and gave them the car's license plate number and they said they would send somebody out to have a look. We drove back there and the car was gone by then.

The only time that my dogs will ever be left in the car alone is late in the evening when it has cooled down and only in situations where they will only be alone for a couple of minutes (eg. buying petrol, picking up takeaway, popping into the supermarket if I only need a couple of things). The main reason they would even come in the car in the evening is my attempt at showing that a car ride does not always result in going for a walk, because one of my dogs has a tendency to be noisy in the car with crying from excitement.

[sebastion 2]

No dogs allowed in our local bunnings unless they are assistance dogs.

Though they do give any dogs tied out the front water.

[keetamouse]

Just leave the air con on

[Clyde]

I am glad we can't take dogs everywhere! Sure, most DOL'ers would be responsible but responsible owners are a fair few in comparison. I don't want to sit near some stinky dog on a train, or have someones dog lunge at my child while out, or lifting it's leg in a cafe, carrying worms everywhere etc etc. I like that we have strict dog laws in public places.

[Danielle]

I never leave my dogs unattended in my car. On the wkend we took them out for a big walk and decided to get maccas, I parked in a shady spot, left the engine and air con going, sent hubby in to get our burgers, and we all ate our meal standing outside the car with the doggies cool and comfy inside it.

I just won't risk it, ever.

My bro smashed someones car window to get a dog out once, owner came out of shop and started screaming abuse at him until she looked down at her dog who was already dead. My bro had poured cold water on it and done everything he could, dog was too far gone by the time he got it out. Stupid woman.