Dogs left in Cars....

[FreshTressa]

I was talking to a friend in Florida, and he was saying it is illegal to leave your dog in a parked car. Is that true? He seemed SHOCKED and very upset with me that I took our dog to the mall and left him in the car.

Do you leave your dog in a parked car?

My dog goes with us lots of places and I just leave him in the car with the windows unrolled a bit unless it is sunny out, when I leave him home. He also has water

I live in Washington state where it is overcast pretty much 9 months of the year, so it doesn't get hot in the car. It is never for more than an hour.

What is the law where you are?

 

[In a hurry]

It doesn't seem that your friend has really thought out the reasons for the law! My dog rides around with us when it is appropriate. She loves outings!

 

[jbdreamer]

I don't know what the laws are, but I always hate when I see it. I know I wouldn't want to be locked in a car with a fur coat on. Even with the windows cracked, it gets hot in the car.

 

[gris gris]

If I left my dog in a parked car he'd knock the car over Seriously he's a big dude and doesn't take kindly to people walking by! I'd end up with an overturned Jeep and ripped seats. So, I've never even tried it.

But, if he were a "good dog", I don't think I'd leave him in my car. Maybe if I needed to run into a gas station for something quick, but otherwise no. And my reasoning is because of the temperature. Whenever I walk by a car with a doggie in it, I always seem to say "oh the poor doggie". But he's probably pretty happy to be riding in the car in the first place!

 

[vivilasvegas]

I was talking to a friend in Florida, and he was saying it is illegal to leave your dog in a parked car. Is that true? He seemed SHOCKED and very upset with me that I took our dog to the mall and left him in the car.

Do you leave your dog in a parked car?

My dog goes with us lots of places and I just leave him in the car with the windows unrolled a bit unless it is sunny out, when I leave him home. He also has water

I live in Washington state where it is overcast pretty much 9 months of the year, so it doesn't get hot in the car. It is never for more than an hour.

What is the law where you are?

Umm, how long were you in the mall?? Yes, a dog may like riding in the car with you guys, but they don't like sitting in the car alone waiting for you!!

I think it's cruel to leave a dog in a car for more than quick run in and out type of stop.

 

[Blondie]

I did a quick search and found this.

 

[FSUGrad97]

You shouldn't leave a dog in a car in Florida because it can get VERY hot in a matter of minutes, even with the windows cracked.

I would think it would be a violation of some sort to leave an animal in a locked car also - probably along the lines of animal cruelty.

 

[FreshTressa]

Why is it cruel?

He likes watching the people and stuff more than being locked in his crate at home. I guess I feel meaner leaving him at home in his crate where there is nothing to watch or smell. (He likes to put his nose out the window and sniff the air)

I guess, ideally, he would not be left in the car and would be with us 24 hours a day, but that is not realistic. I have to go to the mall/restaurants sometime. My choices are to leave him home in his crate (if it is raining outside) or bring him with, where I can let him have little potty breaks in between errands where he likes to sniff and take little walks. He gets to at least spend SOME time with us.

I don't think I've left him for more than about 45 minutes....and again, it is wintertime, overcast and the mall has skylights so I can see if the sun comes out.

And it is NOT hot...the weather is like 40 degrees outside, and with the windows down, it is not more than 50 in the car. I have a thermometer inside the car just so I can check and make sure it does not get hot.

If the temperature outside is over 55, I would not do it except for a quick run into the post office or something.

 

[FreshTressa]

I did a quick search and found this.

Okay..I can understand on a WARM day...and again, I would never do it on a day with the sun shining, no matter what the temperature..


But you guys still would not do it on a cold day (40 degrees?)

 

[luvwinnie]

Even on a cool day I wouldn't because I'd be afraid of someone stealing her.

 

[vivilasvegas]

Okay..I can understand on a WARM day...and again, I would never do it on a day with the sun shining, no matter what the temperature..


But you guys still would not do it on a cold day (40 degrees?)

Well, in cold weather I can see your point...but since you asked...

I don't need to bring my dog everywhere with me, my dog would HATE to be stuck in a car watching people go by while he's stuck there.

I feel a dog is a dog. Now I love my dogs, and take them for walks with me all the time. But if I'm going to a store or out to eat, the dog can stay at home!! It's not a child!

I just find it sad when I see a dog barking like a maniac in a car.

 

[FreshTressa]

I wonder if a dog is more likely to get stolen out of a car or out of a backyard?

 

[FSUGrad97]

Okay..I can understand on a WARM day...and again, I would never do it on a day with the sun shining, no matter what the temperature..


But you guys still would not do it on a cold day (40 degrees?)

Nope. Even on a cold day in Florida (40-50 degrees), if the sun is shining it can get quite warm in a parked car.

 

[azgal81]

I wouldn't do it just because you never know what might happen when you are in the store. I have seen dogs left in cars and people walking by noticing the dog and the dark barking wildly with the car shaking or even in a few cases I have seen the person try to put there hand in the window to pet the dog. Which probably isn't smart because you never know when the dog will snap.

It's the same thing with kids I guess in a way people wouldn't leave their kids in a car so why would they leave their dog.

I think it's fine if you are running into the store and back out in five minutes or so but if you are gone for longer I just think it's not necessary to bring your dog. But then I see people with their dogs in the mall or store all the time I even saw one lady with her dog in a stroller at home depot!

 

[laurajetter]

Ok, let me preface by saying that I do not agree that dogs should be left in cars in warm weather, or even if it's cool outside but really sunny out. It can still get plenty hot in there! It's cruel and inhumane if the temp inside the car gets too hot.

However, if it is not hot/warm out, or if it's mild and overcast, I see nothing wrong with it whatsoever. My chocolate lab LOOOOOOVES when we go 'bye byes'. She flips out when we ask her if she wants to go for a ride and just is completely beside herself with excitement.

Once we get in the car, she acts like a perfect angel dog (can't say that for most other times ). She sits in the back nicely, and hardly moves around. Once we get to where we are going, she still behaves herself in the back seat. We can see her from a distance as we are coming back to the car, and she is very calm and nonchalant, just looking around.

I think it's silly for people (and I'm not specifically talking about anyone in particular here, but people in general) to make a blanket statement in the vein that dogs should not be left in cars, period. There is a time and place where that is definitely true, but it doesn't apply ALL the time.

One night we went to Walmart for a couple quick things and brought Hershey. It was a cool, comfortable night, and we had the windows down a few inches. We returned to our car, and there was a girl (late teens, early 20's) going off about how it's dangerous to leave dogs in the car, it's cruel, they can get overheated, yada yada yada.

She didn't seem very bright by making those comments in that particular situation... did she really think the interior of the car with the windows open, on a 60 degree NIGHT, was going to become overheated? Use common sense, people!

Laura

 

[beckmrk04]

Nope. I guess I just don't see the point. My dog is comfy in her crate- it's like her "house", so if I can't take her with me inside someplace, she stays home. We go for rides to the park, or to the bank (our bank gives out dog treats), and she gets to go to Petsmart, but that's about it!

 

[FreshTressa]

Nope. Even on a cold day in Florida (40-50 degrees), if the sun is shining it can get quite warm in a parked car.

I don't live in Florida...I live in Washington(sun does not shine much)...my friend that was shocked lives in Florida where he says there is a law. He was shocked there was no law here.

 

[Chicago526]

I know it's against the law here, but I don't know if that's all the time or only on days with really hot/cold weather. In the south I'm sure it's better just to make it an absolute law, it just gets too hot down there.

 

[vivilasvegas]

Nope. I guess I just don't see the point. My dog is comfy in her crate- it's like her "house", so if I can't take her with me inside someplace, she stays home. We go for rides to the park, or to the bank (our bank gives out dog treats), and she gets to go to Petsmart, but that's about it!

Exactly! I'll take them for rides when I know they can come in with me, but not if they have to stay in the car.

Like the restaurant across the street from my work. Everyday I see dogs tied to the parking meters while their owners eat!

 

[luvwinnie]

I wonder if a dog is more likely to get stolen out of a car or out of a backyard?

Not sure, but she doesn't stay in the yard alone either, plus it's a 6 foot vinyl fence which is always locked. I've heard too many stories of bulldogs being stolen.