It breaks my heart to see so many animals abused. If you can't be a responsible pet owner, you shouldn't have a pet. If anyone knows of an animal being neglected or abused, please report it and save a life!

You do know that dogs live outside don't you? They don't depend on you 100%, they can live without you hold their hands (paw) all the time.

Dogs, babies, the elderly. It seems like people just don't care who/what they leave in their car.

I'm sorry but I disagree, I do not have a huge fenced in yard, I live in a townhouse with about a quarter acre. My dog, well, she tears up everything. It I am with her she knows not too but like a child, " if you give a mouse a cookie", she will take advantage of The alone time. So, I take her everywhere I go, I don't currently have a job so that's not really much traveling for me. At maximum she sits alone, with the Windows cracked, for no more than an hour. I do keep temperature in mind, so if it sunny and hot, ill return to the car quicker than usual. I keep a bottle of water with me, not in the car, on my person, so as not to allow it to get too hot in the car. I try not to leave her at home alone because she has abandonment issues as she was thrown from a moving vehicle before we got her.( come to think of it I don't understand why she likes the car as much as she does.)

Well, the point is, I don't have a fenced in yard, and I'm not fond of putting a muzzle on her, so she comes with me. Like I said, she spends no more than an hour (and that's in cool conditions) and I always return with water to cool her down and rehyerate her. Don't assume that everyone is a moron without a brain just because you see one or two stories about idiots who should have never had their pets in the first place.

Went back and read some of the posts that were written while I was writing this.

I do not have air conditioning as I live in the north Carolina mountains and my landlord company does not provide them, we really don't need them all that often, I bring my dog with me on hot days sometime so I can keep an eye on her and know when it is time to find a cool place to hang out, like my car, which does have ac. So if you see my dog in the car at wally world in the mountains of nc, then know that I am inside cooling myself down with free corporate ac and will return with water, and turn the ac on in my car for The dog on the ride home.

Unless your going to work, who really needs to spend more than an hour shopping for necessities. I live by this rule, if your going out, know what you NEED, get it and leave, unless of course its hot as fresh fecal matter outside and your stealing valuable ac time from the corporations that ruin The world.

I don't understand animal cruelty nor do I want to. If you are good to them they will love you unconditionally

Wow! Just two days ago, I went to my workout class...came out and walked to my car. In the parking lot...I kept hearing a muffled dog bark..I got in my car and drove around the shopping center parking lot. I finally found the SUV with a dog in the back. Virginia...90 degrees, must have been at least 120 in the vehicle, windows cracked 5 inches. I got out and was talking to the dog....then someone else came over then another lady came over and then a sheriff miraculously drove by and we flagged them down. The Sheriff check it out and then went into the restaurant and brought the guy out....I left after that, but OMG! That is absolutely cruel and uncalled for.

I have a 2.5yrs old 110lbs German Shepard and I watch him like a hawk on hot days.

In the summer he has no less than three 4L pails of water to drink out in the yard, I dump the pails every night and refill them fresh in the morning then again in the afternoon. He has 3 more pails of water in the house. Water is the key. He is also mostly black, he gets very hot. I also have some big fruit trees and out buildings/sheds so no matter what part of the day he has more than adequate shade. On the days I know I wont be making it home for at least 6 hours I leave his doggy door to the garage unlocked so if he really wants to he can go lay down on the nice cool cement floor (something I have caught him doing).

I simply can't take him into the firm when I go to work so he doesn't get supervised like a two year old but I love my dog so he gets spoiled like one! Also being 110lbs doesn't make for a lot of trips in the car unless it is mandatory. Living in a farming town of about a hundred people is a blessing, the vet lives like two streets down. He is considered open 24/7.

Great post to remind people of the dangers with animals and heat! S&F

-Lightrule

Personally I am going to worry about my own pets, and let others worry about theirs.
If I see one that is in danger, I will try to fix it. I will not call the cops.

I worked security at a casino for a short period of time and if we ever saw a child left in a car we immediately were authorized to break the windows to get the child out and call the police.

If we ever noticed an animal in a car we were supposed to call animal control and page the owner of the vehicle even in the extreme heat of Nevada but weren't allowed to make a forcefull entry. Even if the animal was going to die.

Of course humans are more important but still suffering is suffering.

Hey Dog owner and lover here.

Your dog does not need to go anywhere with you, it should be in the car only to go to the vet and thats it.

They are an animal not a piece of jewelry to be kept in your purse or bring around town with you.

Your dog wants to be in a yard not your car. It is against the law to have your dog in your car unrestrained.

Again I have several dogs, and am disgusted at dog owners that treat them like accesories. They do not want to ride around with you for your human errands. They want to be in a yard pooping, running and being a dog.

Stop treating dogs like humans.

Every now and then I will see this here in Texas.... Now most know how hot it can get in Texas during the summer. It's crazy..... But leaving your dog in a car that quickly heats up to oven like temps ( No exaggeration there).... Even for just a second, is just cruel...


Would you like to be locked in an oven "Just for a second"? I wouldn't and neither do they!