I left my car running - on a flat, quiet road - to go into a shop and buy a newspaper. Nothing happened except a policeman wanted to know whether I was aware my vehicle could suddenly, and (in my mind) unwontedly, shift itself into gear like it was Herbie reincarnated. I obliged his query with a suitably self-depreciating answer and he allowed me on my way.
At the time I thought he was an idiot, and I still do. It probably would’ve taken more fuel to restart the engine than to leave it ticking over for the 40 seconds I was completing my transaction, and the doors were locked and the handbrake was engaged. But, if the car had been inhabited by a young child or inquisitive animal I would’ve likely arrested myself.
Wow. That’s a heart breaking read. I do not have dogs, just cats, and they don’t travel except to the vets, but if the writer of that thread reads this take some small comfort in that I will never forget that story, and think of it every time I put an animal in a car.
and by that, I mean that passersby, or sometimes the owners in question, can’t always accurately discriminate between what is dangerous and what is not. I’ve taken my dog on errands, and left her in the vehicle for brief periods of time, but never when it is hot. Only once, on a chilly Spring morning, was I confronted by a well-meaning (but stupid) woman who told me she had called the cops because the dog was in the car. I politely invited her to explain it to them when they appeared, and drove off.
I love dogs, and if I saw one in extremis in a locked car on a hot day, I’d break a window and/or call the cops.
I’m with you with on being careful about dogs in hot cars… but how does a dog die on a cool day with the windows open? What kind of definition are you using for “cool day?”
Just going by the statement that was posted. Also, there have statements along the lines of “dogs in a car are in danger regardless of the weather” which I don’t quite understand, so it did seem worthwhile to point out that temperature is not the only factor to consider.
My girlfriend in college started her car one morning to warm it up and then went back inside her house to finish getting ready. A few minutes later she heard a thud. She went outside and her Mustang had put it self into neutral and slowly rolled halfway out of the driveway before veering right and going across her front lawn and hit a big tree that was there. The tree stopped the car from going into the street that is a side street, she lived on the corner, of a very busy street. The trajection the car had when it hit the tree looks like it would have gone out into the busy street and causing who knows what kind of accident.
When she called the insurance company to fix the small dents in her bumber they said, “Sure but we are jacking up your insurance rates.” When she asked why they were jacking up her rates they said because she was the cause of the accident. She said no she wasn’t because she was in the house at the time and not actually in the car and they said that is precisely why. They said if she had been in the car at the time when it Herbied itself she could have easily stopped the car before it ever hit the tree by hitting the brakes.
That is an awful story. I don’t know how one forgets where their dog is, but then, I’m sure the author felt the same before it happened to him.
But let’s not throw reason out the window.
A “cool spring day” is what, high 40s or 50s? With those ambient temperatures, how hot could it possibly have been in that car with the windows open? ** Especially in the first 10 minutes?? ** I can’t see the dog expiring in 10 minutes from the same temperature someone might keep their apartment at.
Which brings up the point: how exactly do we know the dog died in the first 10 minutes? How could the vet possibly know that? I’m sure vets are well trained in school, but I highly doubt they spend much time on establishing precise times of death. More likely, the vet, in a commendable attempt to drive home the dangers of hot cars, pulled that time out of his ass.
So why did the dog die? Well, the story did mention some facts which seem rather important – the dog was old, overweight, and had a heartworm condition. It was also probably freaking out because not only did the humans leave, they even took the other dog! And they didn’t come back for hours! That is a pretty stressful situation for a dog, especially an old dog in fragile health. Perhaps the dog was uncomfortably warm as well, which added to its panic.
It is the temperature in the car that matters. I cannot see how a dog would be in danger on a cool spring day with the windows open within 10 minutes. Bundled up in winter clothing, I think I would be doing just fine under those conditions, or even for much longer. Am I missing something?
Last summer I was walking down a street when I saw a man and his wife just leaving his car, with their dog inside. The ambient temperature was about 28 Celsius (around 82 Fahrenheit) with bright sun. Although he had opened the windows a few inches and had left a bowl of water on the floor, I challenged him about leaving the dog in the car in hot weather. He said he was only going to be gone 10 minutes, to the bank, and thought the dog would be fine. I said of course it was up to him, but I felt it was too hot even for that long, and could he really be sure the dog would be safe?
Anyway, as I went back along the street about 20 minutes later, I saw the car still in the same spot, but with the dog on a lead outside, in the shade and the wife standing with it. I don’t know how much longer they were there, but I’m pleased I talked to the man even though I felt a bit of a heel for doing it at the start.
I think the OP did the right thing. The people who do leave their dogs in their cars can get a bit defensive when questioned about it. It doesn’t necessarily mean they are bad owners. They can do everything right and still get taken to task, so I can understand their attitude too. I have a dog who is sometimes left in the car too, but it has a large sun roof which I leave open if the weather is hot and sunny. There’s enough ventilation and enough shade inside that the interior doesn’t go above the outside shade temperature. When it’s really hot, up around the 30’s, if I can’t be sure of having a shaded spot when I park, then the dog gets left at home.
The best results are that the dogs live, and no one gets to live with regret or remorse for killing their dog.
In the Seattle area, in the spring (e.g. now) you can really feel the temperature change quickly between when the sun is out and when it is behind clouds. Depending on your location, time of year, etc, a car can really heat up in the sun, even when it’s pretty cool outside.
But other people don’t see things that way. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if someone called animal control on you. I wouldn’t be surprised if they called animal control on ME, if I did it, and I would give all the same exact reasons that you just mentioned. Bottom line is that perception is 9/10 of reality…and the other person’s perception will trump your reality every time, simply because of “he said/she said”. The animal control officer’s gotta do something to justify their existence, so they’ll at least give you a stern talking to, maybe even issue a citation if they were dragged to your location by some whining ninny with a touchy cellphone finger.
I’m the guy who left his dog in the car. And, yes, I would have joyously thanked whoever broke the window of my car and saved my dog (in our case, it would have been quicker just to knock on our door).
I am posting because I wasn’t a clear as I could have been in my thread and its errors are carrying over to this one. The ten minutes that the vet claimed were from the time when the temperature *actually became dangerous *(whatever number and time that might have been) to when Maggie either became comatose and/or died, not necessarily from the time we walked away from the car.
I can well imagine the vet giving the kindest number in the possible range of minutes without actually lying. Maggie could have lasted longer.
I didn’t see her when I used the other car on errands ten minutes after leaving her. I can only think of three reasons for this; she really did succumb that quickly and fell to the floorboards and out of sight, the early minutes in the car might not have been uncomfortable and Maggie likely would have taken a pleasant nap (she was that patient and trusting), or (God Forbid) I just missed her barking and scratching both driving out and than back in. I also left the gas cap dangling on the other car when I returned (something I have *never *done in thirty years of driving). I’m still trying to explain my utter inattention during this time and can’t.
It was cool spring day in the morning when we left her and had likely grown into the nineties when we found her. I can’t exactly say when it actually became dangerous.
Please consider this, a hot car can be dangerous for any animal (humans included) but especially dogs. Here’s something I learned two days too late. Dogs are descended from ancestors living in colder climes than us. They don’t cool by sweating but only by panting. And cool air can’t get in a hot car.
I’m no longer in any position to lecture anyone but you might think on this. No matter how careful you are with your dogs, no matter how short your trip, something could happen to YOU while you are away from your car and dogs (or your car’s AC could malfunction).
Thank you for posting, The Fine Print. I am sorry for you for Maggie’s loss and I believe you are a thoughtful, caring, dog owner. Take comfort in the fact that your thread potentially could save other dogs’ lives, even if only one death is prevented because of it.
I didn’t doubt the linked story. I doubted the interpretations that were being made about it – ie, that the story demonstrated that “your dog can die even after a short time in the car on a cool day.”
As it turns out, it appears my suspicions were correct – my idea (upstate NY) of a cool spring day (50s) is not the same as that of someone from Texas (eventually topping out in the 90s). And the figure of 10 minutes was not from the time of departure but from the time at which temperatures became dangerous.
I think the lesson to take from this thread is to be very careful because cars can become surprisingly hot surprisingly quickly. The lesson is not “never take your dog in the car.” What is the point of having a dog if it can’t go places with you?
I’ve actually started keeping a thermometer in my car so I have a better sense of what goes on temperature-wise inside the car, which has been helpful. Might be a useful idea for those with dogs.
To the guy who lost a dog: I’m very sorry to hear about what happened. Sounds like you were a conscientious owner who gave the shelter dog a new happy life, so try to think of that. : )
I avoid it as much as I can, but sometimes I do leave a dog in the car. I know what I am doing. I have never comeback to an overheated dog. I usually note what the car is like when I get back. Unless it it a flagrant case, your do gooders can butt out.
I see lots of dogs left in cars. I never even pay much attention. It is possible since I often have a dog with me as I head into the store, more of the shut up dogs call their attention to me.
You do need to show a little caution. What should have been literally a 5 minute errand can turn into 20 minutes.