Dog In Car With Windows Up

[pebbles]

My two often spend hours in the car, excercised during that time, as where I live I have 300k round trip to the nearest decent size shopping centre, so with the travelling time and the time spent shopping it adds up. They love the car and are happy in their crates with water and a chewy. When shopping is finished, I head for a park and we all enjoy a roast chicken and coffee (yeah I know coffee not good for dogs but they only have a spoonfull each) before driving home. This weather being cooler, Mick (Min Pin) has his coat on as he is a real 'sun lover' and anything below about 20 and he's in the shade, he'll be shivering, Abby has her own home grown coat lol. And although mine are in crates the windows are only down a cm or two. Over a lot of years I have travelled many miles through Aussie with dogs, wouldn't go if I had to leave them home. Friend left her Min Pin loose in the car, window down a third, idiot put his hand in to pat the dog and got badly bitten!

[BoStoNmAdNeSs]

I'd smash a window in this instance, call an ambulance and then worry about the police much later on. The police aren't the priority if you've come across this situation.

Agreed.

But an undistressed dog enjoying autumn sunshine in his owners car for a short time on a mild day in Dunedoo (where the max temp for the day was probably less than 18), with the windows opened to let any excess heat out, is a very long way from a baby/child in dire straits.

Children should never be left in cars alone, under any circumstances.

Souff

Never said any different

[Rozzie]

well i dont think you should leave dogs in cars at all.

if you are going to the shop take the dog home and leave it there.

there has been things on tv showing even with the windows down a little bit and parked in the shade the car can get over 10 degrees hotter then out side temp.

why risk it the saying is dogs die in hot cars. im kind of shocked that on here with all the holey than i attitududes one of the most dangerous things you can do seems to be ok.

Bit hard if home is several hundred kilometres away

[Max#1]

Whatever happened to using common sense?

[Sayreovi]

well i dont think you should leave dogs in cars at all.

if you are going to the shop take the dog home and leave it there.

there has been things on tv showing even with the windows down a little bit and parked in the shade the car can get over 10 degrees hotter then out side temp.

why risk it the saying is dogs die in hot cars. im kind of shocked that on here with all the holey than i attitududes one of the most dangerous things you can do seems to be ok.

Bit hard if home is several hundred kilometres away

Agreed!!

I was about 5 hours away from home the other weekend, what should I have done with them when I needed to go get food or go to the toilet?

I leave my dogs in the car if I am running into a shop, filling up the car or running to the loo! I rush around so they aren't in the car very long and come back all worried to find them all asleep and I get a death stare for daring to wake them by getting in the car.......some how I don't think they are in any danger if they are happy enough to just sleep

[Katie P]

I have left Chase in the car a number of times while I pop into the shops and we are coming home from somewhere I might crack the windows down a bit depending on the day and how long I am gone. I am sure he is ok for 5-15 minutes! He loves watching out the window and peering out through all of them!

[Wazzat Xolo]

Go to a DOG SHOW and just have a look at how many dogs are left in cars, windows up, windows down and lets not forget the trailers etc!

BUT I warn you now DO NOT under any circumstances get the angry face on or put little sticky notes on the windscreens, YOU may never be seen again!

;)

[persephone]

Gosh - I used to spend a lot of days travelling thru the countryside ,with my dog , as part of my work. he lived in the car! Glad no one tackled me about it

[Diva]

Go to a DOG SHOW and just have a look at how many dogs are left in cars, windows up, windows down and lets not forget the trailers etc!

BUT I warn you now DO NOT under any circumstances get the angry face on or put little sticky notes on the windscreens, YOU may never be seen again!

;)

When first came on DOL one of these threads came up, but back then most posters were adamant it was terribly irresponsible to leave dogs in cars no matter how cold the weather for even 30 seconds, as bad as leaving a child. They wouldn't even fill up their car with petrol on a cold day, at an undercover petrol pump, with the dog in the car because they would have to leave it for a minute to pay. I posted that on a cold Canberra winter day and with calm sociable dogs, I didn't hesitate to leave them in the car at the local shops for as long as 15-30 minutes! Boy was I ripped into.

It made me fear for their common sense.

Edited April 28, 2011 by Diva

[poodlefan]

I think it it wise to warn people about the potential dangers of leaving dogs in cars.

Howie found my bag of Clinkers when I was packing up at a show once. He opened the bag, tasted them all, ate the green and yellow ones and spat the pink ones out.

[lovemesideways]

Go to a DOG SHOW and just have a look at how many dogs are left in cars, windows up, windows down and lets not forget the trailers etc!

BUT I warn you now DO NOT under any circumstances get the angry face on or put little sticky notes on the windscreens, YOU may never be seen again!

;)

Or most Obedience Clubs! A lot of the trainers leave their dogs in cars

[Rozzie]

The worst thing that has happened with a dog in my car was just devastating.

Went to the pizza place, got two pizzas, then onto the servo, Filled up with petrol, went in to pay and came back to car. Dog was left unsupervised for 5 minutes, windows down a little.

All looked good. Drove home.

Took pizzas inside to serve.

There was one slice gone from each box.

[Diva]

I think it it wise to warn people about the potential dangers of leaving dogs in cars.

Howie found my bag of Clinkers when I was packing up at a show once. He opened the bag, tasted them all, ate the green and yellow ones and spat the pink ones out.

It's true - Howard should never be left alone ANYWHERE near lollies! Evil Whippet!!

To be serious for minute, I do agree it's wise people never forget the risk, especially of overheating.

But the idea we are all so stooopid and irresponsible that we need a one-size-fits-all rule imposed regardless of the real life circumstances - and need to be hectored about it by someone who thinks they have claimed the moral high ground - is not at all helpful.

[poodlefan]

I think it it wise to warn people about the potential dangers of leaving dogs in cars.

Howie found my bag of Clinkers when I was packing up at a show once. He opened the bag, tasted them all, ate the green and yellow ones and spat the pink ones out.

It's true - Howard should never be left alone ANYWHERE near lollies! Evil Whippet!!

Despite repeated warnings, a friend left some lovely fudge in the car with him not long ago. He tasted all three varieties but apparently isn't fond of caramel. ;)

And people wonder why I leave shopping bags on the bonnet of the car when paying for petrol when the dogs are with me.

Edited April 28, 2011 by poodlefan

[Diva]

Despite repeated warnings, a friend left some lovely fudge in the car with him not long ago. He tasted all three varieties but apparently isn't fond of caramel.

He does have excellent taste. Not my favourite either.

[Souff]

The worst thing that has happened with a dog in my car was just devastating.

Went to the pizza place, got two pizzas, then onto the servo, Filled up with petrol, went in to pay and came back to car. Dog was left unsupervised for 5 minutes, windows down a little.

All looked good. Drove home.

Took pizzas inside to serve.

There was one slice gone from each box.

Now that is VERY sneaky.

Mine would have knocked the boxes on to the floor, eaten almost everything, and then greeted me with, "Gee thanks for getting us pizza!"

Somebody mentioned the death stare when you get back to the car. Yes, I can relate to that.

It lasts until the window is wound up again, and then she gives a loud sniff, before curling up smugly again.

How very dare I put the windows down a bit and let a cold draught of air into HER warm car!

Nanny laws like this one are idiotic ..... just ask the dogs.

Dog owners who travel regularly with their dogs use their brains - pity some of the sniffling onlookers don't.

Souff

[Souff]

Despite repeated warnings, a friend left some lovely fudge in the car with him not long ago. He tasted all three varieties but apparently isn't fond of caramel. ;)

He does have excellent taste. Not my favourite either.

[whiskedaway]

Dog owners who travel regularly with their dogs use their brains - pity some of the sniffling onlookers don't.

I have a friend who was not feeling so good and was lying in the backseat while her mother went and did shopping with her Maltese cross bouncing up and down on her stomach. Someone walked past and exclaimed about the dog being unattended in the car and she sat up and glared at them. If people had just looked, they would have realised that there was someone else there.

[Dogsrawesome]

The worst thing that has happened with a dog in my car was just devastating.

Went to the pizza place, got two pizzas, then onto the servo, Filled up with petrol, went in to pay and came back to car. Dog was left unsupervised for 5 minutes, windows down a little.

All looked good. Drove home.

Took pizzas inside to serve.

There was one slice gone from each box.

so funny

[Aphra]

In the cool weather I often take a couple of my own dogs or my foster dogs out in the car with me, to go shopping, to grab a cup of coffee or even have lunch. It's a good way to teach a dog to enjoy travelling in the car, they enjoy the outings because they get to see different things and go for walks in new places and most of my dogs just like going out with me ... even if they spend most of it in the car. It's not safe in the hot weather, but on a cold day the car is a nice place to me and I'll often buy a cup of coffee and a snack and drive somewhere pleasant sit in the warm and watch the view while the dogs nap in the back. One of my dogs loves the car so much that if I put him in he'll want to stay there and he's occasionally chosen to sleep in the car overnight.

I think there has been a long bow drawn from "it's not safe to leave a dog in the car on hot days" to "it's never safe for a dog to be left in the car at all".

Clearly human infants or dogs in a car on hot days are a whole different thing, but common sense means making a decision based on the context and circumstance.