Dogs and Hot Cars

Good Lord

I cannot believe this even has to be said, when you go shopping, please leave your dog at home. Especially on an 80-degree day. I went to our local grocery and was on my way to the car when I saw two dogs in the front seat of a vehicle. One was a Golden Retriever and the other a Black Lab. Both were panting. The window was cracked but the temperature was in the 80’s, so for them inside the car it most likely felt like 100 degrees. Seriously, are people that idiotic they cannot figure out one simple thing. Leave your dog home. Most likely the air is on in your house, it’s cool, perhaps the fans are going. A good temperature for dogs.  Parking in the sun on a blacktop surface at a grocery store is no place for dogs. 

Do People Think

Every year the death statistics go up. So many dogs die being left inside a vehicle. What will it take to end this? We, as a society cannot be that stupid as to not realize the consequences. Think of the animals, or better yet put on a fur coat and sit in a vehicle in the hot sun and see if you like it. I can guarantee you will not. I just googled and they said cracking the window doesn’t make a difference. So, there’s that. Who doesn’t like to google?

It Takes Minutes

It takes only 15 minutes for a dog to die in a vehicle so even if you think you will make a quick in and out of the store it may be too late for your furry friend. Never leave your dog in a vehicle if the temp is above 70. It’s too hot for them, they can seize and sustain brain damage. People really should pay attention to this and act accordingly. It is so much safer to leave your animal at home where they are comfortable and safe. I know I’d feel terrible approaching my vehicle only to find out my dog was dead inside. It would be something that would be hard to get over. These are unnecessary deaths and should not occur. 

Poor Hot Dog

My husband Gary and I were headed out of town one sunny summer day, we stopped to get something, and I spotted a chocolate lab in a vehicle with the window cracked about an inch if that. This dog had so much fur and was panting. I headed into the store to find the owner of the vehicle and couldn’t find them, so I called the police. Police arrived and stated, “Well, the window is cracked.” I told him it’s 80 plus degrees outside so in that vehicle it is 100. Look at the fur on that dog. It is too hot for him, and I don’t care if the window is cracked or not. The officer headed into the store and did find the owner. She came out and drove away, no fine, no citation. I often wonder if that dog would have perished had I not intervened. His fur was so thick, and he was so miserable. It sickens me to think about the stupidity of some people. 

Leave Him or Her Home

The next time you are thinking about heading to the store and your dog starts whining, tell him you’ll be back soon. At the very least you know he will be alive and well when you return home.

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Keep your dogs out of hot vehicles, and safe at home.

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