There was a study–it was 93 degrees and in 20 minutes, the internal temperature of the car was 125 degrees. After another 20 minutes, the temperature was 140. Yesterday in my town it was 114 degrees outside.
Yes, stupid people leave their dogs in cars. Yes, it gets hot enough to kill them. Yes, people will bust the window out to save a dog.
Absolutely. I’m from California originally and there are actually organized squads of people who go around parking lots and look for animals and children trapped in cars, kinda like Neighborhood Watch. It can reach up to 120 degrees in just a few minutes in a hot car and we’ve had several babies and animals die from parents/owners who just weren’t paying attention or who thought they’d be fine or didn’t want to wake them… all it takes is one hot day and a little carelessness…
Not to be a kill-joy, but a friend of mine and her mother did this (left two dogs in the car with AC running while they went quickly into a store). It took them a bit longer than anticipated, maybe 20 minutes. In the meantime the car had malfunctioned and was blowing hot air into the cabin instead of cool, conditioned air.
When they came back to the car, both dogs were dead. Sadly, a true story.
Very sad. I’ve often been tempted to break a window, or at least go into the store to report the car. Especially when the dog is visibly hot. Some people just don’t seem to understand the real danger of leaving dogs in hot cars.
A dog should never be left in a car when it is hot. Cars should NOT ever be left running because it is terrible for the environment. AC or no.I would bust the window and free the dog. I don’t care about the repercussions. More likely I would try to find the owner first. Failing that, I would bust the window.
However, it is still emitting noxious fumes into the environment, which it would not do if it was off. This why the Prius is a great city driving car. All that idling at lights and in stopped traffic. A Prius switches over to battery for that.
Lots of newer cars can run the A/C while the engine is off. I’m sure this person didn’t actually leave their car idling while they ran errands.
You’d come back and your car would be gone and the dog would be standing in the parking space saying, “A nice man came by while you were gone and gave me a scratch between the ears, so I let him take the car for a spin!”
The internal temperature of a dog doesn’t care whether or not you drive a Prius that switches to battery to do slightly less damage to a finite planet.
It depends on where you live. I live in a small town in northern PA, and a very friendly police officer opened mine for me about 6 months ago when I locked my keys in it while pumping gas. Gotta love small towns. :)
And country of course. In UK the Police will open a car door, and it is possible to be jailed for leaving a dog in a hot car.
To run the A/C would normally require the engine to be running (which is also illegal in UK if driver isn’t in car) although there are systems that can run without the engine – such as some campers and vehicles designed for carrying some animals such as race horses.
If you have a hatchback (not sure what they’re called in USA?) or Estate (Station Wagon) then have a dog crate and a grille fitted to prevent entry to the car when the back is left open.
If you have a dog, and you ever intend to leave it in a car then spend the money to do it right, otherwise leave the dog at home!
Fair enough for rescuing animals genuinely in distress, but here driving has become the big target for Police; Car Tax, Insurance & MOT (annual check on car) are all on computers relayed to traffic police (ANPR) if someone drives past a ‘traffic car’ without any one of those 3 they will get ‘penalty points’ a fine, and have their car towed to a compound, leaving the driver and occupants to find another way home.
Also doing anything other than driving when driving can have the same results, such as using a mobile phone or eating/drinking.
Add to that the extortionate cost of petrol (gas) at around $8.00 per gallon
Er? Welcome to every westernised country… All of them have similar rules and restrictions. Some may go without annual inspections for all vehicles, some may have cheaper motor vehicle tax… it all evens out though
“It’s just a dog” really? Are you sure because my dog cost $15,000 as it is a service dog and can’t just simply be replaced. Of course I would never leave this or any dog in the car and that is just one of the problems with the human race is that they think no other race is important.
Not that I’m ok with the “it’s just a dog” thing either but your argument doesn’t even make sense. Your dog was expensive but you’re probably never in a situation where you’d have to leave it in the car either. The dogs that get left in cars don’t cost nearly as much as yours. Apples and Oranges.
$15,000.00 dog? Either they saw you comming or you’re full-o-shit. Either way its an impressive story, stick to it.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned kids yet. It seems every year some kid gets left in a hot car and dies. While I grant you that few of these kids are as valuable as a $15,000.00, 18k Gold-Golden Retriever, it’s still kinda sad and we should all be morally outraged that people do bad things.
I left my dog tied up in my jeep, top was on, but no windows, to stop by my work on a hot day, gone maybe 10 minutes, and he was very hot when I got back even though he had water too.
We recently had a local sheriff who accidentally left his canine partner in his patrol car for an hour. They did everything they could to save him. The guy was devastated. People who do this on purpose are just asking for heartbreak. If you can’t bring the animal in where you’re going, just leave him home!
Sadly, only 14 out of the 50 states have laws protecting pets left in vehicles, my state is not one of them, and you can and will be arrested for breaking into a car to rescue a pet. However, for this person to leave the note lets people know he is aware of the dangers and has taken steps to care for his dog. I have occasionally left my dog in the car while I went grocery shopping, but I always have someone with me who can check on him every fifteen minutes and give him water and let him run about.
If you have that sign, and your car isn’t running…that piece of paper won’t save your window.
So people have their windows busted out when folks see a dog in the car? People leave their pets in cars in the heat enough for this to be a thing?
Relevant.
Absolutely. 14 states have laws forbidding leaving a pet unattended in the car in the heat.
http://www.animallaw.info/articles/qvuspetsincars.htm
There was a study–it was 93 degrees and in 20 minutes, the internal temperature of the car was 125 degrees. After another 20 minutes, the temperature was 140. Yesterday in my town it was 114 degrees outside.
Yes, stupid people leave their dogs in cars. Yes, it gets hot enough to kill them. Yes, people will bust the window out to save a dog.
It happens all the times. People are freaking idiots! You would be surprised!
Absolutely. I’m from California originally and there are actually organized squads of people who go around parking lots and look for animals and children trapped in cars, kinda like Neighborhood Watch. It can reach up to 120 degrees in just a few minutes in a hot car and we’ve had several babies and animals die from parents/owners who just weren’t paying attention or who thought they’d be fine or didn’t want to wake them… all it takes is one hot day and a little carelessness…
ummmm YEAH.
I’m fairly certain for the A/C to work well the car should be in motion? Maybe it was just my old beater cars…
it doesn’t have to be in motion but it has to be running. Do you think your AC stops/decreases every time you stop at a stoplight ;)
Remote starters turn on a vehicle & the A/C
I don’t think that’s legal …
As long as the engine is running, the A/C will work.
Not to be a kill-joy, but a friend of mine and her mother did this (left two dogs in the car with AC running while they went quickly into a store). It took them a bit longer than anticipated, maybe 20 minutes. In the meantime the car had malfunctioned and was blowing hot air into the cabin instead of cool, conditioned air.
When they came back to the car, both dogs were dead. Sadly, a true story.
Very sad. I’ve often been tempted to break a window, or at least go into the store to report the car. Especially when the dog is visibly hot. Some people just don’t seem to understand the real danger of leaving dogs in hot cars.
Not to mention if the dog kicks the gear shift or something..could be even worse…
e-brake
A dog should never be left in a car when it is hot. Cars should NOT ever be left running because it is terrible for the environment. AC or no.I would bust the window and free the dog. I don’t care about the repercussions. More likely I would try to find the owner first. Failing that, I would bust the window.
You should wear that shirt that says “I make stuff up.”
Why?
I’m pretty sure leaving a car idle for a few minutes takes less gas than starting your car up…
However, it is still emitting noxious fumes into the environment, which it would not do if it was off. This why the Prius is a great city driving car. All that idling at lights and in stopped traffic. A Prius switches over to battery for that.
Lots of newer cars can run the A/C while the engine is off. I’m sure this person didn’t actually leave their car idling while they ran errands.
You’d come back and your car would be gone and the dog would be standing in the parking space saying, “A nice man came by while you were gone and gave me a scratch between the ears, so I let him take the car for a spin!”
The internal temperature of a dog doesn’t care whether or not you drive a Prius that switches to battery to do slightly less damage to a finite planet.
Or you could, you know, call the police who can usually open a car door with less damage and with less of a chance of a vandalism citation for you.
cops dont unlock doors anymore, at least ten years
Huh. Weird.. They did that for a friend of mine a few weeks ago.
It depends on where you live. I live in a small town in northern PA, and a very friendly police officer opened mine for me about 6 months ago when I locked my keys in it while pumping gas. Gotta love small towns. :)
And country of course. In UK the Police will open a car door, and it is possible to be jailed for leaving a dog in a hot car.
To run the A/C would normally require the engine to be running (which is also illegal in UK if driver isn’t in car) although there are systems that can run without the engine – such as some campers and vehicles designed for carrying some animals such as race horses.
If you have a hatchback (not sure what they’re called in USA?) or Estate (Station Wagon) then have a dog crate and a grille fitted to prevent entry to the car when the back is left open.
If you have a dog, and you ever intend to leave it in a car then spend the money to do it right, otherwise leave the dog at home!
I wish the U.S. would get smart and start enforcing laws like this.
Fair enough for rescuing animals genuinely in distress, but here driving has become the big target for Police; Car Tax, Insurance & MOT (annual check on car) are all on computers relayed to traffic police (ANPR) if someone drives past a ‘traffic car’ without any one of those 3 they will get ‘penalty points’ a fine, and have their car towed to a compound, leaving the driver and occupants to find another way home.
Also doing anything other than driving when driving can have the same results, such as using a mobile phone or eating/drinking.
Add to that the extortionate cost of petrol (gas) at around $8.00 per gallon
So don’t wish too much :)
Er? Welcome to every westernised country… All of them have similar rules and restrictions. Some may go without annual inspections for all vehicles, some may have cheaper motor vehicle tax… it all evens out though
It’s just a dog, people! They’re expendable! Now if it was a cat, then….
Oh, you troll! :)
“It’s just a dog” really? Are you sure because my dog cost $15,000 as it is a service dog and can’t just simply be replaced. Of course I would never leave this or any dog in the car and that is just one of the problems with the human race is that they think no other race is important.
But that could just be because it’s a small town.
Not that I’m ok with the “it’s just a dog” thing either but your argument doesn’t even make sense. Your dog was expensive but you’re probably never in a situation where you’d have to leave it in the car either. The dogs that get left in cars don’t cost nearly as much as yours. Apples and Oranges.
That guys is an obvious troll =/
That was a successful troll then. Why reply? jeez!
$15,000.00 dog? Either they saw you comming or you’re full-o-shit. Either way its an impressive story, stick to it.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned kids yet. It seems every year some kid gets left in a hot car and dies. While I grant you that few of these kids are as valuable as a $15,000.00, 18k Gold-Golden Retriever, it’s still kinda sad and we should all be morally outraged that people do bad things.
Total number of U.S. hyperthermia deaths of children left in cars, 1998-present: 558
In 2012: 31
cat hoarder perhaps?
I left my dog tied up in my jeep, top was on, but no windows, to stop by my work on a hot day, gone maybe 10 minutes, and he was very hot when I got back even though he had water too.
Sorry, that was meant to go under my other comment above!
During our recent heat wave, I left my oven thermometer in my car just to see what’s what. In about 15-20 minutes, it was 155 degrees in there.
We recently had a local sheriff who accidentally left his canine partner in his patrol car for an hour. They did everything they could to save him. The guy was devastated. People who do this on purpose are just asking for heartbreak. If you can’t bring the animal in where you’re going, just leave him home!
Sadly, only 14 out of the 50 states have laws protecting pets left in vehicles, my state is not one of them, and you can and will be arrested for breaking into a car to rescue a pet. However, for this person to leave the note lets people know he is aware of the dangers and has taken steps to care for his dog. I have occasionally left my dog in the car while I went grocery shopping, but I always have someone with me who can check on him every fifteen minutes and give him water and let him run about.