Discussions

If somebody smashes the window of my car because I've left my dog I will be the one losing it on someone. I mean honestly, you can obviously tell the difference between a dog just chillin out and a dog in distress. Sure my pup runs around the car and yaps at everybody who goes by and tries to see where I've gone but she's not distressed, she's not panting or lethargic. She had air conditioning, she was 100% fine for the small amount of time she was there. Like I said before I wouldn't ever leave her for any more than 5 or 10 minutes even with air on, so it shouldn't be a huge issue. Besides, nobody has to agree with what I do with my dog anyway. She's my pup, and I'll "parent" her the way that works for us.

I once left my dogs in my truck as I emptied out the back at the dump. I left the vehicle running with the a/c on. As they were jumping around in the truck they must have knocked against the a/c switch and turned the heat on. Totally accidental but it happened and I was only a few feet away for a matter of minutes minutes. When I opened the cab of the truck they were already down and not responding very well. They do not get left in the vehicle ever again. I learned my lesson the hard way. Let this be yours too,

I once left my dogs in my truck as I emptied out the back at the dump. I left the vehicle running with the a/c on. As they were jumping around in the truck they must have knocked against the a/c switch and turned the heat on. Totally accidental but it happened and I was only a few feet away for a matter of minutes minutes. When I opened the cab of the truck they were already down and not responding very well. They do not get left in the vehicle ever again. I learned my lesson the hard way. Let this be yours too,

Caf I totally hear your point, things can happen. But in my particular situation my car doesn't even have heat so there's no danger of that happening to my pup

A great quote from Ann Landers…  
My thoughts on taking your dogs in your vehicle whether it is hot, cold or otherwise. We live in the boondocks, there is no kennel, no dog sitters, and frankly our hounds would be stressed to the max if they got left with someone they didn't know.  
When we make our rare trips to Brandon to shop, usually because we just don't have access to some things in our closest small town. We take our dogs. We live a 3 hour round trip drive away, (when the roads are good), and between that and the time it takes to get our shopping done, we are gone from home long enough that our dogs will not make it without a potty break. They also hate being left alone at home, even for a hour or so. In the vehicle they have water, and food, if we are gone long enough that it runs into their normal feeding time. They have blankets, toys, chwey bones, and they hate going so much that if the truck is at home with the doors open for more than a few seconds they are sitting in it hoping for a "car ride", and then I have to go and bait them with a treat to get them out. It has become so ridiculous in Brandon, with people leaving nasty notes, smashing windows, even with the air/heat on given the particular season, that we don't even want to come and shop there anymore. We have taken to leaving one person in the vehicle with the dogs to protect it and them from the "Samaritans" . Now, we no longer stay for a meal, we only shop where we must and we go home. I can only add that when we both need to run into a store to look at something together, and the dogs are alone in the vehicle for a few minutes (running, with the air or heat on as needed), and you feel you need to "save" my dogs, be prepared as we will press charges, and the dogs take their jobs as guardians very seriously…….

caf said "I once left my dogs in my truck as I emptied out the back at the dump. I left the vehicle running with the a/c on. As they were jumping around in the truck they must have knocked against the a/c switch and turned the heat on. Totally accidental but it happened and I was only a few feet away for a matter of minutes minutes. When I opened the cab of the truck they were already down and not responding very well. They do not get left in the vehicle ever again. I learned my lesson the hard way. Let this be yours too, "

They almost died in a couple of minutes?

sounds like a thread early this week about the dog that was outside in the shade, with a pool full of water.  
 
People really need to know the signs of an animal in heat distress. Not every animal sitting in a vehicle is automatically in danger.

batteries melting from idling is a new one to me. While batteries can fail and melt, it's very rare. And don't melt solely from idling.

What's next? People kicking down house doors to rescue dogs who don't live in an air conditioned house? If your car was running, it was a non issue. Some people think they run the world  

I wonder if anyone that has a large store, like Superstore or a Wal-mart, especially one that is catering to pet owners has considered setting up an area (maybe outside away from doors)where a pet can be left while a customer is in shopping.  
Yes this type of thing would have to be well used to pay for someone to watch over the animals, but maybe it's an idea.  
Seems there is no satisfying some of these concerned animal lovers, one apparently broke a hand breaking into someone's car, where an animal had been left. Not sure,if the owner was kind enough to leave te a/c on for the pooch.  
I've always hated to complain about something without providing an alternative approach.

Sometimes I feel the need to remind people that pets are not people (children). While I wouldn't advocate for doing something that knowingly is going to cause a pet to suffer, I also think there's a whole lot of overreacting that happens when pets are involved. Such as the op's experience. If only we treated people as well as pets, this would be a much friendlier place....