Is this never ever ever allowed or what? That's the way it seems.

If it's 70 degrees and overcast, can I leave my dog in my car with the windows 1/3 the way down for 20 minutes or should I expect someone with a pitchfork waiting for me when I return to my car?

7/20/2013 12:46:43 PM

Quote :

"Raleigh, N.C. — The state House gave tentative approval Wednesday to a provision that would allow emergency responders to break into a hot car to rescue an animal. "

7/20/2013 12:52:42 PM

Yeah that's what made me think of this...

7/20/2013 12:56:55 PM

If you had an errand to run, why'd you bring your dog in the first place?

that's what I never understand about people leaving animals in their cars: animals can be left alone at home, they don't have to come with you everywhere

7/20/2013 2:19:47 PM

I do it all the time as long as it's not above 80 degrees. I pretty much take my dog everywhere. He goes with me to the office everyday unless I have court. So when I go run errands after work (quick grocery stops, beer/wine shop, etc), I'll just leave the windows down. I'm never in there for longer than ten minutes. Half the time when I come out, someone is petting him and we get into a discussion about each others pets.

Now during the summer...its definitely a no-go. I'll take him home first and then go run errands.

7/20/2013 4:27:29 PM

take dog to dog park/vet/etc... stop at grocery store on way back.

dog likes to ride in car

etc.

7/20/2013 4:28:07 PM

I think common sense reigns here. Yea 70 Deg. and overcast, for less than 30 min..... I wouldn't say anything to you.

I live in South Texas... so, if you went to Walmart for an hour in August and didn't roll your windows down for the animal. I might call animal control, and call you an asshole when you come out to your car. (This assumes I waited for the hour.. which I probably wouldn't)

7/20/2013 5:08:11 PM

I don't think that you should leave your dog in the car for any length of time during the middle of summer. Even with the windows cracked, it's just too hot to be left in the car without water or even a good breeze to circulate the air.

But when the weather is milder, I'll definitely leave my dog in the car with the windows down a few inches for 15 minutes or so. I usually take my dog with me to pick up or drop off my son at school and if I have an errand to run, I don't mind leaving her in the car for a few minutes.

7/20/2013 8:00:19 PM

I just leave my shit running with the AC on. If some tree hugger tries to start shit about my car idling at least the dog will be comfy in the AC while I argue with them.

7/21/2013 1:12:10 AM

7/21/2013 1:32:58 AM

Quote :

"If you had an errand to run, why'd you bring your dog in the first place?"

The time I did it most recently I was picking up my dog from the groomers and stopped by the store on the way home.

Quote :

"animals can be left alone at home"

Sure they *can* be but my dogs really love car rides, so I try to take them when it isn't too hot.

Quote :

"I think common sense reigns here. "

Unfortunately I don't think it does, that's why I made this thread. Seems people just knee-jerk this issue into any dog being left in a car is bad, regardless of the circumstances, which it turns out, are pretty important.

7/21/2013 11:58:43 AM

Got it... you weren't really asking the question, but rather voicing your frustration... I'm sorry I misunderstood.

7/21/2013 3:44:55 PM

The questions is posed right here:

Quote :

"If it's 70 degrees and overcast, can I leave my dog in my car with the windows 1/3 the way down for 20 minutes or should I expect someone with a pitchfork waiting for me when I return to my car?"

and I'm agreeing with you, so i'm not sure why you chose to adopt a dickish tone.

7/21/2013 5:29:47 PM

About a month ago, it was about 80F outside, and we were on our way to Charlotte with our dog. We stopped at Harris Teeter to pick up a 6-pack of beer. We left our dog in our car for literally no longer than 10 minutes, and when we came back out with (only) our 6-pack there was this entitled lady (typical rich-type Ballntyne soccer mom) standing next to our car.

Her - "You know it's too hot to leave your dog in your car, right?"
Me - "Thanks for your concern, but we were literally in there for less than 10 minutes"
Her - "I touched your hood to make sure your engine was still warm...It was...."
Me - "Of course it was. I just told you we were in there for less than 10 minutes."
Her - "I called my vet to make sure it was too hot to leave a dog in a car right now"
Me - "That's great! Did your vet also tell you that you were a fucking cunt? I didnt ask you or your vet for an opinion. Go fist yourself."

We got in our car and my wife didnt know whether to be more at her or at me, haha.

The kicker - when we got in the car, before we cranked it, it was literally 10 degrees COOLER than it was outside because we had the A/C blasting the whole way to Charlotte.


[Edited on July 21, 2013 at 7:09 PM. Reason : .]

7/21/2013 6:50:53 PM

Quote :

"I called my vet to make sure it was too hot to leave a dog in a car right now"

lol

7/21/2013 11:26:29 PM

My dog has serious car anxiety, probably because the only time he rides in the car is when I take him to the vet. If I left him alone in there for more than 5 minutes he'd flip the fuck out.

7/22/2013 10:50:19 AM

Quote :

"The time I did it most recently I was picking up my dog from the groomers and stopped by the store on the way home."

Take dog home, go to store.

I'm just saying that it's not hard to eliminate this problem from your life altogether if you're worried about it.

7/22/2013 12:36:29 PM

it's really only a problem for the self-entitled douches who waste their time worrying about my dog (who is perfectly fine)

7/22/2013 12:52:55 PM

Its all case based.

Yesterday my wife and I came out of the grocery story to a dog in the back seat of a car. All four windows were all the way down, but the dog was panting very heavily and drooling. Clearly it was hot and struggling to cool itself. Wife went in and told customer service so they made an announcement and a guy ran out and jumped in the car and drove laps around the parking lot, I assume to run the A/C. In this case some sort of action was warranted.

I've seen dogs in cars on many occasions though and not thought twice about it.

7/22/2013 1:08:07 PM

Quote :

"Take dog home, go to store."

Great idea...if everyone lived in towns with radii of a couple miles.

It's only a problem if it's really hot and you're leaving your dog in there for a long time. Again...I don't leave my dog in the car during the summer...but if you really look at it...people take their dogs on walks and let them outside to use the bathroom and play in the yard when it's hot as shit outside. What's the difference if they're in the car for a few minutes with the windows down??

It all depends on the situation, but it's also not rocket science. Don't leave a dog in the car, when it's hot as shit, for a long time.

7/22/2013 1:18:25 PM

My dog loves to ride around in the car so if I can take him along somewhere then I do. If its 70-80F or warmer (with a lot of sun out) then I won't leave him in the car while running errands, unless I'm just picking up a few things and know it'll only take 5-10 minutes. I don't go out of my way to take him in the car while running errands though. Rather it would just be if I was returning from a friend's house, or the vet, or the dog park. Shit like that.

I'd never risk my dog's well being, but it is truly sad that some people do

7/22/2013 1:23:28 PM

^^ This

Quote :

"Take dog home, go to store. I'm just saying that it's not hard to eliminate this problem from your life altogether if you're worried about it."

For some of us, it's a 20 minute drive to the store. So why not stop while you're in town verses adding an extra hour to your day?

And for the record, I was at Food Lion earlier and there was an elderly man on oxygen sitting in the passenger side of the car parked next to me. No one would call for that, but they'd definitely call for a dog in a car.

[Edited on July 22, 2013 at 1:29 PM. Reason : a]

7/22/2013 1:23:55 PM

my dog loves riding in the car. I leave the windows rolled down for him if I'm just in the store for a little bit, if not I'll keep the car running with the A/C on.

Nobody is going to jump in a car with a full grown German Shepherd in it. He will bite, oh yes, he will bite hard.

7/22/2013 1:25:41 PM

Quote :

"Take dog home, go to store. I'm just saying that it's not hard to eliminate this problem from your life altogether if you're worried about it."

So you do view it as a problem if it's 70 degrees, overcast, and the windows are rolled down?

Would you take action if you came across a dog in that context?

7/22/2013 1:50:25 PM

Quote :

"And for the record, I was at Food Lion earlier and there was an elderly man on oxygen sitting in the passenger side of the car parked next to me. No one would call for that, but they'd definitely call for a dog in a car. "

I would imagine this guy was still mentally able to be able to figure out how to open a car door though.

7/22/2013 1:53:15 PM

nobody that posted itt has seen this video?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tJJ79YoFvM

7/22/2013 2:04:25 PM

^ I don't think anyone ITT is arguing that you can leave your pet in a car for that long in that heat. So thanks for the pointless post.

At the most...in that type of heat...I think you can run into a store, grab something, and come back in about 5 minutes. I still wouldn't do it...but I would be okay with someone else doing it.

7/22/2013 2:13:45 PM

Quote :

"I would imagine this guy was still mentally able to be able to figure out how to open a car door though."

What's the difference in the door being open vs. the windows being down?

7/22/2013 2:41:33 PM

Quote :

"nobody that posted itt has seen this video? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tJJ79YoFvM"

That video is funny.

Quote :

"To show just how hot it gets, Dr. Ward sat in his car for a half hour on a mild day. He made sure to roll the windows down a couple inches like most people falsely assume is sufficient to curb the green house effect."

Quote :

"Ward begins the test at 95 degrees [which is the temperature outside]"

7/22/2013 2:43:11 PM

Quote :

"So you do view it as a problem if it's 70 degrees, overcast, and the windows are rolled down? Would you take action if you came across a dog in that context?"

No, and where did I say I'd ever take action? It's your dog, not my responsibility. I just don't get people who feel the need to take their dog everywhere.

7/22/2013 7:13:47 PM

Some people like their dogs.

7/22/2013 7:14:44 PM

For myself, have three dogs and have left them in vehicles for variable periods of time weather dependent. NEVER in the summer without the AC going. What you assume is 5 minutes can easily turn into 15-20.

Replace the word "dog" with "infant" and assume nobody would come near the vehicle ... would you change your action?

7/22/2013 8:16:58 PM

Quote :

"I just don't get people who feel the need to take their dog everywhere."

Quote :

"Some people like their dogs."

7/22/2013 9:51:42 PM

Quote :

"No, and where did I say I'd ever take action? "

Where did I say you said you would?

Quote :

"I just don't get people who feel the need to take their dog everywhere."

I wouldn't call it a need, more of a desire.

7/22/2013 10:01:04 PM

Who the hell leaves their cars running while unattended? Especially with an animal inside. That seems like asking for some trouble.

Quote :

"What's the difference in the door being open vs. the windows being down?"

Eric what's the difference? You're trying to compare a human to a dog.

[Edited on July 23, 2013 at 9:24 AM. Reason : k]

7/23/2013 9:23:35 AM

Y'all are too anal.

If its not hot outside my dog would rather run errands with me then sit in the house.

Don't be a fucking green peace idiot. Some dogs love car rides and would prefer to spend the extra time with their owner at the expense of napping in the car rather then on the couch when owner goes in a store.

There really is no generic answer. If your dog makes you look like a shitty owner barking and howling in the parking lot then it's probably best not to do it. If your dog whines the whole time you are gone also probably best not to do it.

My dog either people watches or naps without making a peep.
I also wouldn't do it if its over 80 out or if I had a black car with i
Out tinted windows that turns into a greenhouse. I wouldn't do it if I would be out of the car more than 20min.

The weird thing is I think my dog would rather be in a hot car than a cold one. She shivers in our house sometimes . (We leave a dog safe heated bed out for her)

#1 use your knowledge of the dog and judgement to decide
#2 don't listen to overly paranoid morons on the interwebs a
#3 profit.

Quote :

" Replace the word "dog" with "infant" and assume nobody would come near the vehicle ... would you change your action?"

Lol my 70lb dog can defend herself and the car.




[Edited on July 23, 2013 at 11:21 AM. Reason : .]

7/23/2013 11:17:30 AM

I had a neighbor that called Animal Control on me because I left my dog out in the back yard in the middle of the summer. (It was a fenced in yard, not on a chain). She told them that I would leave the dog outside for days at a time with no food or water. When the Animal Control officer came to my house she found that not only did my dog have a huge covered deck to hang out on, but he had 2 full buckets of water, and a box fan that I put out there for him to keep him cool. The Animal Control officer said "Wow, your dog has the nicest dog house in Cary!".

As a follow up, the same lady called Animal Control on me a second time and they wrote her a citation for filing a false report.

Some people just need to mind their own fucking business.

[Edited on July 23, 2013 at 11:29 AM. Reason : a]

7/23/2013 11:25:25 AM

^ your neighbor was StillFuchsia/TKE-Teg??



[Edited on July 23, 2013 at 11:29 AM. Reason : .]

7/23/2013 11:28:55 AM

My dog was a Rottie mix, so I'm pretty sure she was just discriminating against me because of that. She had 2 little yappy Italian Greyhounds, and I think she was scared that somehow my dog would figure out how to get his fat ass over the fence to eat her dogs. In reality, all he did was lay on the deck all day and sleep.

[Edited on July 23, 2013 at 11:32 AM. Reason : a]

7/23/2013 11:31:09 AM

wow, some people are ridiculous

7/23/2013 11:34:09 AM

Our dogs stay outside all day every day now, and sometimes for as much as a week at a time if we go out of town. We bring them in at night when we're home. Honestly, I get more concerned about the cold than the heat. In the winter time I put a couple bricks of hay in their barn to keep them warm.

In the summer, no matter how hot it is, they lay out in the yard and sleep. Sometimes the black lab gets so hot I can barely touch him, but for some reason they love it.

7/23/2013 11:43:54 AM

Quote :

"I had a neighbor that called Animal Control on me because I left my dog out in the back yard in the middle of the summer. (It was a fenced in yard, not on a chain). She told them that I would leave the dog outside for days at a time with no food or water. When the Animal Control officer came to my house she found that not only did my dog have a huge covered deck to hang out on, but he had 2 full buckets of water, and a box fan that I put out there for him to keep him cool. The Animal Control officer said "Wow, your dog has the nicest dog house in Cary!". As a follow up, the same lady called Animal Control on me a second time and they wrote her a citation for filing a false report."

That's awesome.

^^^^Also, I have no idea what the means. Especially given the fact that in this thread my comments are the exact opposite of what SF is preaching.

[Edited on July 23, 2013 at 11:50 AM. Reason : k]

7/23/2013 11:50:10 AM

No dog has ever died by being left in a car and anyone concerned about it is a liberal hippy douchebag. At least, that's what I'm getting from this thread.

Since the real answer is just "use common sense" was this thread just trollbait or what?

7/23/2013 12:08:27 PM

it's unreasonable to assume a discussion should be had on a topic on TWW

synapse raises a perfectly legitimate and reasonable point that some people will blow something that is perfectly reasonable out of proportion, such as a dog in a car for 20 minutes on a cool day.

7/23/2013 1:04:47 PM

^ you realize what website you are posting on, right?

7/23/2013 1:25:29 PM

7/23/2013 1:34:24 PM

Quote :

"No dog has ever died by being left in a car and anyone concerned about it is a liberal hippy douchebag. At least, that's what I'm getting from this thread."

Think you need to work on your reading skills and/or cut out the straw men arguments.

Quote :

"synapse raises a perfectly legitimate and reasonable point that some people will blow something that is perfectly reasonable out of proportion, such as a dog in a car for 20 minutes on a cool day."

Thanks. Obviously I did what I depicted in the OP a few weeks ago, and was legitimately wondering if someone was going to be standing beside my car ready to lay into me as I was inside shopping.

7/23/2013 2:41:33 PM

Quote :

"your neighbor was StillFuchsia"

Where did I say I'd ever call anyone for keeping a dog in a car?

I don't care if your dog dies in your car: it's not my responsibility

it makes you a piece of shit human being, not me

If I saw an infant in a car, you can rest assured I'd respond very differently

and I like children less than dogs

[Edited on July 23, 2013 at 3:22 PM. Reason : I merely pointed out what he could do to avoid the situation entirely]

7/23/2013 3:18:44 PM

In San Francisco people bring their dogs everywhere. Restaurants, grocery stores, and the Apple Store. I saw a dog piss in the Apple store once and asked an employee how often it happens and they replied, "twice a day". There were always signs that dogs weren't allowed in food establishment, but it always happened anyway.

7/23/2013 4:31:48 PM

I don't care if your infant dies in your car: it's not my responsibility

7/23/2013 4:43:50 PM