# Stranger in store threatened to call cops because of my dog **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 21, 2018, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311 "2018-07-21T02:11:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/81 "2018-07-23T06:53:35Z")
> [@Whatever4](#): > > Seeing as I’ve had her for about a year and a half, and her behavior hasn’t changed a bit, I guess she’s just a slow learner? She’s not learning anything, because by taking her everywhere, you are not teaching her anything. You need to start with a small crate, move to a larger crate, then the bathroom, then a single room in the house (or apartment, whatever), then a couple of rooms, if you can do that, then finally, the whole place. It might take over a year. ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/82 "2018-07-23T06:56:03Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Please don’t do that – there are way too many people abusing this, and it’s really screwing up those who have legit therapy animals. (I’d love to be able to take my cat everywhere, but I know it wouldn’t be fair) We are talking about a nice dog which is very good company. A cat? Come on, get real. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/83 "2018-07-23T07:34:58Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Please don’t do that – there are way too many people abusing this, and it’s really screwing up those who have legit therapy animals. (I’d love to be able to take my cat everywhere, but I know it wouldn’t be fair) I was being facetious. I doubt a dog like that could be qualified. The dog needs therapy. IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/84 "2018-07-23T14:01:50Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Yelling at strangers in a store is not 100% legal nor does it do anything to help a dog, and it is an assault. In what jurisdiction(s) is yelling at people an assault? What about people who stand on street corners yelling (sometimes with an actual bullhorn) about the end of the world or whatever? Are they “assaulting” the passersby? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/85 "2018-07-23T14:17:53Z")
It can be considered disturbing the peace, and if the yelling is a threat of harm (not just calling the police but threatening physical harm) or even is done in such a way that it is reasonable to fear the yeller will cause imminent harm, then that is assault. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/86 "2018-07-23T14:24:18Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > It can be considered disturbing the peace, and if the yelling is a threat of harm (not just calling the police but threatening physical harm) or even is done in such a way that it is reasonable to fear the yeller will cause imminent harm, then that is assault. Right, but there was no indication from the OP that the woman in question was threatening him harm. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/87 "2018-07-23T14:31:44Z")
There is some indication that the op experienced fear of imminent harm. > [@the op](#): > > … She was way too close to me for comfort. A sumo wrestler compared to skinny me. And someone blocking my way to the door … I am not convinced that it quite meets the definition but neither am I sure it does not. Is it reasonable to perceive a person much larger than you getting directly in your face yelling at you and blocking your egress represents a threat of imminent harm? I am not sure the answer is obvious one way or the other. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/88 "2018-07-23T14:39:09Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > There is some indication that the op experienced fear of imminent harm. > I am not convinced that it quite meets the definition but neither am I sure it does not. > > Is it reasonable to perceive a person much larger than you getting directly in your face yelling at you and blocking your egress represents a threat of imminent harm? I am not sure the answer is obvious one way or the other. I’m not sure either, but I think it would be awfully hard to prove in court, given the facts presented. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/89 "2018-07-23T14:54:55Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > I have to say I’m completely stunned by some of the replies here. I thought people were generally more educated about not leaving pets or children alone in hot cars in the summer. But then I guess that’s why we hear so many stories on the news about kids and dogs dying in hot cars in the summer. > > One of the main problems is things often take longer than you think and while you plan to “just run in for a minute” then there’s a long line and the person in front of you has a bazzilion coupons and “oops, I forgot to get milk. Ohh that’s on sale, I should pick that up”. You run into a friend and get into a conversation and suddenly 5 minutes is 30 and your dog is in serious distress. > > The cavalier attitude in this thread is a head-shaker for me. It was 70 outside and the car was in the shade. OP sounds like a reasonable dog owner. Do you happen to be a sumo-sized woman? ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/90 "2018-07-23T17:30:15Z")
> [@anomalous1](#): > > You know what is best for yourself and your dog. I highly doubt you would leave your dog in a car that would reach 120+\*F While you may be right, the odds that you are are quite low. The vast majority of people grossly underestimate how hot cars get even on cool days. This is repeatedly evident – despite public service announcements, the average person seems to feel they know better than the experts on this topic, and, strangely enough, what they “know” always coincides with what they feel like doing. I’ve stopped numerous times to observe dogs left in cars. I try not to intervene directly unless it’s called for. Typically, almost every time the human appears, they are: a: defensive no matter how polite I am b: _laughably_ wrong about how long they’ve been gone. I’ve had a stopwatch function on my phone running for 23 minutes and the person appears and _insists_ that they were “only in the store for 2 minutes.” A generous interpretation is that their sense of time and their memory are distorted. A less generous interpretation is that they are lying. To the OP: I have no way of knowing if the event actually was as you represent it here or not. The odds are against it, but some people defy the odds. I will note that it is a risky practice, and that self-appointed advocates for your dog are often motivated not by ego but by the truth that the dog cannot advocate for himself. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/91 "2018-07-23T17:31:33Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > It was 70 outside and the car was in the shade. OP sounds like a reasonable dog owner. See, here’s a case of assumptions leading to the wrong conclusion. 70 in the shade is lethally dangerous in a surprisingly short time. ---
**Author:** ![sps49sd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sps49sd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sps49sd)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/92 "2018-07-23T17:44:12Z")
> [@anomalous1](#): > > You know what is best for yourself and your dog. I highly doubt you would leave your dog in a car that would reach 120+\*F Nobody who leaves their pet in a car ever thinks it will get too hot. And yet, pets still die in cars. ---
**Author:** ![sps49sd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sps49sd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sps49sd)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/93 "2018-07-23T17:51:00Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > You could get him a therapy dog permit and take him anywhere. Like the people who carry their dogs in the produce section and get defensive when it is politely (at first) pointed out that they are committing a health code violation? Your pet might be cute, but few appreciate using those same carry hands to go through the fruits and vegetables. ---
**Author:** ![sps49sd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sps49sd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sps49sd)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/94 "2018-07-23T17:59:58Z")
> [@edwardcoast](#): > > They allow dogs in the store as Guide Dogs, so I don’t see how you bringing your dog in as any difference. It’s different because, although guide dogs can be dirty/ leave messes, 1. they are well trained 2. society places giving a disabled person equal access to everyday life a higher priority than is granted to the self entitled. Fulll disclosure: I have never needed to clean up after a real guide dog. I HAVE cleaned the messes down the aisle and all over our toilet from pets that are “good” and “never did this before”. t. former Cali Safeway courtesy clerk. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/95 "2018-07-23T19:00:01Z")
> [@sps49sd](#): > > Nobody who leaves their pet in a car ever thinks it will get too hot. > And yet, pets still die in cars. Are there any statistics on this though? I see dogs in cars fairly often in parking lots and have yet to see one in distress and our summers get pretty hot. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/96 "2018-07-23T19:15:40Z")
> [@sps49sd](#): > > It’s different because, although guide dogs can be dirty/ leave messes, > > 1. they are well trained > 2. society places giving a disabled person equal access to everyday life a higher priority than is granted to the self entitled. > > Fulll disclosure: I have never needed to clean up after a real guide dog. I HAVE cleaned the messes down the aisle and all over our toilet from pets that are “good” and “never did this before”. > > t. former Cali Safeway courtesy clerk. Hell, I have seen messes some kids make in stores. @shopper ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/97 "2018-07-23T19:35:17Z")
Guide dogs are also in full harness and trained to stay with their owners. I’ve seen people put their unleashed dogs into shopping carts, which is flat-out illegal. And I had one such dog try to bite my only good hand when I handed the credit card and receipt back to the owner. I told her to control her dog, and what was her response? “Oh, he’s just playing.” Had that dog actually bit my hand, I wouldn’t be “just playing” when I threw it against wall. And no court in the land would convict me. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/98 "2018-07-23T20:41:39Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I would never leave my dog in a locked car, not even for a minute, and not if the temperature were just 70°. Why not? ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/99 "2018-07-24T01:49:08Z")
Dogs love cars. Most dogs. Mine whimpers and drools and paces the whole time; every other dog I’ve owned just loved riding and sleeping in them. But, I lived in a cold climate. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311/100 "2018-07-24T05:07:23Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > Why not? Come on, isn’t it obvious? Why would I? Have you been reading this thread at all? BTW, I live in Arizona, FWIW. Insane temperatures in the summer time. 98°F at 10:00 PM as I post this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-in-store-threatened-to-call-cops-because-of-my-dog/818311.md?page=6)