[Villager Joyce]

I believe people who take their dogs for golf cart rides are risking serious injury when the dog is just sitting on the seat without restraint At all or a neck leash. I know the dogs love it, but there is going to be major injury If the dog becomes a flying projectile.

[kittygilchrist]

Questions to ask yourself before concluding the dog is in trouble and taking action...
Was the dog panting?
Do you know if might have have been left running with the AC on?
How long was the dog left there?

I would call the police and page the owner in the store if I saw the dog panting heavily in a car not running on a cloudless hot day.

Good thread....makes us think about what ta do.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

Questions to ask yourself before concluding the dog is in trouble and taking action...
Was the dog panting?
Do you know if might have have been left running with the AC on?
How long was the dog left there?

I would call the police and page the owner in the store if I saw the dog panting heavily in a car not running on a cloudless hot day.

Good thread....makes us think about what ta do.

Some people should NOT be allowed to have pets.

[dbussone]

Originally Posted by Villager Joyce

I believe people who take their dogs for golf cart rides are risking serious injury when the dog is just sitting on the seat without restraint At all or a neck leash. I know the dogs love it, but there is going to be major injury If the dog becomes a flying projectile.

Harry has a harness that is attached to a leash. The shortened leash is attached to a frame of the cart. I wear a seatbelt but he is probably more protected than I am.

You are absolutely correct about the need restrain your pet.

[dbussone]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Some people should NOT be allowed to have pets.

Amen.

[The20Percent]

I was proud to learn that my home state, just this month, passed the following law. It would be great if Florida and other states would follow suit.

A new Tennessee law now allows people to break into hot cars if an animal is trapped inside — without fear of punishment.
The law, which went into effect on July 1st, extends the states' good Samaritan law from including just kids, to pets too.
It protects individuals from civil liability for any damages caused while trying to rescue a child or an animal in danger.

[PattyCakes]

If I ever see it, the vehicle will have a broken window. I don't have a problem breaking into a car to save a life, be it child or animal. The time it takes to find a manager or call 911 could require that creature's last breath.

[kittygilchrist]

Folks, please let us know how it goes if you break a window.
I am a veteran of 8 years consulting in child abuse and neglect.
One does not rush in based on the mere fact that an animal or child is in a car and the weather is hot. Consider what could easily be a reasonable leave of children or animals.

I am not saying ignore the situation. I am saying do not become a vigilante loaded to explode heroically without using good and reasonable judgement.
What could go wrong with your breaking a window?
The dog could jump out and get away from you.
The owner may sue for damages.
You maylearn later that the owner left a quiet running car with the AC on and shut windows to protect the animal. If that were a child, would you break a window?

While I applaud the heart of rescue in TV, this mustbe tempered with reason and a judicial appeoach to truth. Make sure that you know the animal is in danger, just as if it were a child you are asking to have removed from its parents. This is a serious and should be a deeply engaged effort, not based on hearsay (see OP) or rote response.
The OP reported hearsaywith few details and the dog owner was crucified.

That is just wrong. I could have removed untold numbers of children from their parents based on hearsay, but that is not the same as having evidence.

[Polar Bear]

I'm not defending anybody leaving a dog in a car during any sort of hot period at all. But at the same time...

The op was hearsay. It doesn't state a time of day. It doesn't say how long the dog was in the car. (Only that it took 10 minutes for the observer to go in the store and come out with the manager.) It doesn't say the dog was showing any signs of distress. And the car was gone when the observer and manager went to look.

All in all, the only thing that is known for sure to have been wrong was...nothing.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by PattyCakes

If I ever see it, the vehicle will have a broken window. I don't have a problem breaking into a car to save a life, be it child or animal. The time it takes to find a manager or call 911 could require that creature's last breath.

I have often had people in stores paged (by license number) when kids or dogs are left in a hot vehicle.
Some are sheepish, some are belligerent.
If I thought a life was in danger I'd break a window and call the police and report myself.

[snowbird22154]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

Folks, please let us know how it goes if you break a window.
I am a veteran of 8 years consulting in child abuse and neglect.
One does not rush in based on the mere fact that an animal or child is in a car and the weather is hot. Consider what could easily be a reasonable leave of children or animals.

I am not saying ignore the situation. I am saying do not become a vigilante loaded to explode heroically without using good and reasonable judgement.
What could go wrong with your breaking a window?
The dog could jump out and get away from you.
The owner may sue for damages.
You maylearn later that the owner left a quiet running car with the AC on and shut windows to protect the animal. If that were a child, would you break a window?

While I applaud the heart of rescue in TV, this must be tempered with reason and a judicial appeoach to truth. Make sure that you know the animal is in danger, just as if it were a child you are asking to have removed from its parents. This is a serious and should be a deeply engaged effort, not based on hearsay (see OP) or rote response.
The OP reported hearsay with few details and the dog owner was crucified.

That is just wrong. I could have removed untold numbers of children from their parents based on hearsay, but that is not the same as having evidence.

[Sable99]

I don't condone leaving an aminal in a car on a hot day. Maybe the person had taken the dog to the groomers, vet or dog park and had to make a quick stop on the way home. Still doesn't make it right

I recently saw a clip on the news where their meterologist sat in a car on a hot day. Her blood pressures went to almost 106 in about 10 minutes. They said an animals would rise faster because of their size and coat.

Our Shih Tzu puppy sometimes gets warm with the air running in our moving car! I bought an ice pack on Amazon that fits inside Lexi's car seat. It has a cover but Mom is also going to make a case out of an old towel to wrap around it so her skin doesn't touch it in any way. I'm hoping this will help keep her cool.

[Jima64]

Originally Posted by Sable99

I don't condone leaving an aminal in a car on a hot day. Maybe the person had taken the dog to the groomers, vet or dog park and had to make a quick stop on the way home. Still doesn't make it right

I recently saw a clip on the news where their meterologist sat in a car on a hot day. Her blood pressures went to almost 106 in about 10 minutes. They said an animals would rise faster because of their size and coat.

Our Shih Tzu puppy sometimes gets warm with the air running in our moving car! I bought an ice pack on Amazon that fits inside Lexi's car seat. It has a cover but Mom is also going to make a case out of an old towel to wrap around it so her skin doesn't touch it in any way. I'm hoping this will help keep her cool.

I agree with you. The major problem with dogs are they do not have pores to help with the heat. I make sure the middle air vents reach the back seat for zack and zoe.

[GeoGeo]

mbfalmouth, I didn't witness it. I was told by the person who witnessed it. They said the car was not running.
It is best to leave them home. Even if the car is running, what if it stops running?
We have taken our dogs with us on vacation and have left them in the locked car with the air running while eating (not this hot, though). I would run out every 10 minutes to check to make sure the car was still running. Good way to get your 10,000 steps in when you travel.

[capecoralbill]

I had a male 15 lb shihtzu, he was very heat challenged, his tongue would turn dark red with very little exertion. He never had an incident, because I was very nurturing. Please keep an eye on your shihtzu, they are so dependent on their owners Some dogs are more affected than others. Bill