Criminal or stupid?

[jaffasdad]

I was walking through a small Herefordshire village last Saturday when I noticed something moving in the back of a parked hatchback. The car had tinted windows but I could see that there was a dog in the back. It was parked in full sun (27/28C) and no windows were open.

I tried to find out if the owner was around but nobody knew who owned the car. It was so hot that I had to stand in the shade of a nearby tree. I waited for at least 20 minutes (I don't know how long the car had been parked before I arrived) and was getting to the point of thinking I should break a window to rescue the dog when a lady appeared with a bag of shopping.

I very politely pointed out that she had left her dog in very dangerous conditions and said that I was very worried about it. She dismissed my concerns saying that she hadn't been 'many minutes' (at least 20) and that the dog was fine. She then drove off.

Should I have:

minded my own business (what if she had been ages?)

called the police (how long would they have taken and would they be interested?)

broken the window (where would I have stood legally?)

I was in a real dilemma and would be interested to hear what others would have done.

Please don't use this post as an opportunity for sick jokes/comments or an anti-dog rant.

 

[jaffasdad]

Just read the post about the police dogs. Perhaps this is in the wrong place.

 

[LMH]

Hi

If the dog was still alive, I would have waited ten minutes. I then would have phoned the police and asked for advice. If the dog was showing signs of breathing problems, I would have asked the police if I could smash a window to retrieve the animal and stated that I though it was dying.

I'm not sure what I would have done if the answer had been 'no, don't interfere' though.

Lisa

 

[emmerson2]

In a previous life, I used to help organize vintage shows. Our car park stewards were instructed to keep a check on all vehicles to see if dogs had been left in any, and if a dog was found to be in distress, then they were to call on a second steward, and break into the vehicle.Public announcements were made for up to ten minutes before this was done. We only ever did it once, and the owner, once the consequences had been explained, was suitably chastened.

 

[jane_374418335]

hi i would have phoned the police

 

[Cate_374453296]

I think that I may have hit the woman, what a silly idiot. My dog loves going out in the car, goes out everyday, but no chance at the moment it's too hot and she has windows down all year + water available when in the car. Perhaps we should lock her in the car in full heat and see how she feels.

Good on you for saying something.

 

[Stephen_374454782]

Phone the RSPCA Cruelty line: 0300 1234 999. They will act on your call. Great interview by the RSPCA's head vet Mark Evans on Radio 4 this evening where he explained that some dogs can die within minutes and that even leaving windows open a little and a bowl of water in the car make virtually no difference, so please look out for these instances as well and report them.

 

[Melanie_374363360]

I really wonder what the police would have told you especially if you had spoken to the one that left his 2 dogs in the car yesterday!!!!

Probably best to mind your own business.

 

[Alan Partridge]

Stephen has it. Call the RSPCA. They do act, they wouldn't be patiently waiting for the owner to turn up, and they might well prosecute.

You can never educate people like this - if they could see your point, they wouldn't do it it the first place.

 

[hogrider56]

Absolute waste of valuable life-saving minutes phoning either police or RSPCA, distract the dog and get it to one end of the vehicle and put a brick through a window at the other.

Both organisations will take ages upon ages to respond, their attitude is that if the animal dies then they can prosecute...they are not on the spot seeing the creature suffering before their eyes.

 

[LMH]

I disagree with you there Phil.

Cause criminal damage and some people's jobs are in jeopardy. Whether you're saving an animals life or not. The law is an ass.

Lisa

 

[LMH]

I disagree with you there Phil.

Cause criminal damage and some people's jobs are in jeopardy. Whether you're saving an animals life or not. The law is an ass.

Lisa

Get a conviction I meant.

 

[Barkas]

I disagree with you there Phil.

Cause criminal damage and some people's jobs are in jeopardy. Whether you're saving an animals life or not. The law is an ass.

Lisa

Hi Ron, You did exactly the right thing. You voiced your concern to the owner, who dismissed your fears yes, but it never the less brought it too her attention and she will think twice next time. Sometimes sensible people get verbally abused for raising such points but its all worth it in the end if its saving a dogs life further down the road. Rest assured she will have taken note.

 

[Steve L]

Quite coincidentally I'm a Herefordshire resident, well in our touring caravan anyway.

We have a chocolate Labrador who because of our situation has to go with us everywhere.

Our car has the benifit of air con which we run flatout before we stop to make sure the car is as cold as possible in the first place. I have adapted the boot lid of our estate car to allow the glass window to be left open but still contain the dog by fitting a wire mesh panel. We leave the car with the sunroof open fully and all the windows down. Ontop of that we have several reflective sheets that we deploy to shade the car. Finally he has a 9 inch 12 volt fan that is left on and a large bowl of fridge chilled water.

We never leave him for more than an hour and if we can we park under a tree for shade. I have also put an information sticker on the boot lid telling people there is a dog in the car and also leaving my mobile number for contact.

We have a max/min thermometer in the car and while the out door temperature has topped 30 deg C our car has not gone above 20 deg C.

I do not condone anyone leaving an animal in a car and not taking precautions to keep the animal comfortable. I would not hesitate to cotact the police and if necessary while talking to the police on the phone I would smash a window to allow air into a locked car. If people do not show care for their pet's then in my oppinion they don't deserve to own them.

I always put my dog's well being before our pleasure and have on occassions had to drive the car home with a soggy posteria following an unexpected down pour entering the open sun roof.

I watched a program on tv last night about RSPCA frontline. However I was flabbergasted to see the officer break into a car containing several dogs and rescue them, then they put them into cages in their own van and promptly closed the doors. Also the windows were shut. On top of that the van did not have it's engine running which is a pre-requisit of being able to run an aircon unit. Now while I do in most cases support the RSPCA I acn say that what I saw last night was definately just as irrespossible as the dog owners were in the first place.

Furthermore I was hearing on the radio yesterday of the case in Nottingham where a police dog handler left two Alsatians to die in his police van parked at police HQ. For the area Chief Constable to call it a tragic accident was totally beyond belief. The comment by his superior was more like it, calling the act irresponsible and demanding action to ensure it never happened again ever! In my oppinion the policeman concerned should be made an example of and disciplined with the full force of the law after all he could get

 

[Gumbo]

of the law after all he could get

 

[hogrider56]

I disagree with you there Phil.

Cause criminal damage and some people's jobs are in jeopardy. Whether you're saving an animals life or not. The law is an ass.

Lisa

I don't give a damn about criminal damage when the sanctity of life is involved, whether it be a dog or a human. If I was in a position to save it or ease suffering I would instinctively do it

 

[Steve L]

I don't think hysteria describes it Gumbo.

Anger and outrage at the fact that someone who is supposed to be showing us the general public how to behave, can be so dammed stupid and yet no doubt they will get away with it. when if it was you or I, We would be made take the concequenses.

Trust me I'm being polite on this subject despite foaming at the mouth over what I realy would like to say to the individual concerned.

Steve L. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[Lorraine_5040934]

We went to the "Big Sheep" in Devon with my sisters children but we had our dogs with us, it was a boiling hot day and everyone wanted a day out. I had resigned myself to a "day out in a car park" while the others went into the attraction so I could walk the dogs and sit on a picnic rug with them under the trees. I was surprised when we arrived to see the tourist attraction has put outside dog kennels for tourists to use with lots of air flowing under the wooden pens. The idea was very good and thoughtful although I still didn't use the kennel as it is right by the car park, unattended and the wire front doors to each pen is easily accessible to small excited children who could poke their finger though, and if the dog was teased in anyway or alarmed at being left on its own who knows what could happen?

It would be great if supermarkets and tourist attractions could provide holding pens/kennels which are within sight of staff, in the shade, and only the dog owner holds the key to get the dog out, I would happily pay a returnable deposit to use such a facility even if there was a small charge. Staff could at least take a credit card number, driving licence details and car reg number to try and avoid dogs being left and dumped, but I'm sure all caring dog owners would happily use facilities if they were well organised rather than leave the dog in the car. It is nicer to take our dogs on holiday with us but it can be very awkward when shopping or trying to visit a tourist attraction if there are only two of you, we usually give up so lots of places must be missing out on making revenue from lots of dog owners!

 

[Steve L]

I agree with you lorraine.

We struggle everytime we go shopping or out to any shows etc to find a shady area of a car park. I have often paid over