Dogs in hot cars

[ruffledfeathers]

I saw a news thing within the past couple weeks about people who left their dog in the car while they went to a water park for the day. (Um, it is hot enough to hit a water park and you leave your dog in a parked car??) I believe a park employee got the dog out and the owners face some kind of cruelty charges. Some people have no common sense or basic compassionate understanding of other life.

Just found the link: http://www.wimp.com/dogheat/

 

[Dopey]

I work for Fire and Rescue in Montgomery County Maryland and I sit right next to the woman who does the car seat program for our department. One child dies in a hot car every 10 days. It is sad. These are normal every day people. Doctors, lawyers, grandparents, etc. Please don't judge them. It breaks my heart for every parent, guardian or grand parent who this happens to. Give yourself a reminder. Something that will make yourself ask...where is your kid/grandkid/animal.

Lock your cars when you aren't using them. Several kids who have died in 2014 have died because they went into an unlocked car and couldn't get out. I don't live in an area where it is necessary to lock my car because of thiefs but I do have grandkids so I now make it a habit to lock my car.

It is against the law in our county to leave animals in a hot car whether your windows or down or not. You get fined. It could happen to any of us. We get busy.

Everyone - look out for each other. Just make it a habit to check. There have been a number of adults who have died in cars.

Now I look in cars just to take note for lives - human or animals.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

I totally get what you are saying and i do not judge people when something horrible and accidental happens. But it is hard to see someone as a fit parent/pet owner/guardian when they are willfully reckless with the safety of those in their care. (locking in a hot car deliberately for hours).

But yeah, accidents happen and that is just tragic. We should never make people feel any more guilty than they already do for an accident.

 

[thekarens]

Rarely when I hear these stories do they sound like "accidents." Most of the time it's "I didn't think it would matter for such a short time." Or whatever. Pets and children shouldn't be left in the car. It's simple enough.

 

[Dopey]

Less than 10 minutes. That's all it takes.