It's 20F and Windspeed 20mph - Don't Leave Your Cute Little Doggie In Your Car!!!

fiddlejen

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Mar 28, 2019
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Sunny the Sun Conure (sept '18, gotcha 3/'19). Mr Jefferson Budgie & Mrs Calliope Budgie (albino) (nov'18 & jan'19). Summer 2021 Baby Budgies: Riker (Green); Patchouli, Keye, & Tiny (blue greywings).
Went to Whole Foods. Walked by the passenger side of the SUV parked in front of me, to go in the entrance. I had a list, actually stuck to it... I think I was in there 15 or 20 minutes.

Returning to my car, I walked past the Driver's side of that SUV in front of me. (98% certain it was the same one.) Cute little doggy looked at me as I went by. Went back and looked, yes, little doggy. Guessing it was a yorkie or a yorkie-bichon mix maybe. That type dog. Cute little fluffly dog, NOT a type dog with warm insulating fur.

Put my bag in my car, took a few minutes arranging things. Kept looking around. Hoping it really was a new car, not the one there when I went in. Hoping maybe somebody ran in for one-item only & was about to reappear.

Went back to the dog. Touched the window -- it was cold. Doggie tried to press against my hand for warmth where I touched. Realized doggie was sitting in driver's seat probably to try to get the warmth from where the driver had been.

Went put my cart away. Came back. Various people have come out of the market in this time but no one for this cold car. It's below freezing. The wind chill puts it below 0-F. Cars do Not stay warm. I went inside, told customer service. They UN-willingly agreed to page the license number to come to the service desk, told me that was all they could do, i should call police.

So, I went back out and did so. 911 told me they were sending an officer. Stood by the car. Although I was well-bundled up, I was shivering already. When I would start to move away the dog was giving me that "don't leave me" look. Doggy was huddled on the seat just kinda looking up over the edge of the window. Looking really cold and sad.

I watched for the police to come but never saw a cruiser. Lots more folks exited the store before an unpleasant-looking woman with a full load of groceries headed toward the SUV, giving me a "why are you near my vehicle"-type LOOK. Full load of groceries. She was definitely in there much longer than I was. With her poor little doggy sitting in the car, Windchill of 0-degrees-F.

I said to her, "I've called the police. Your dog is freezing, he's gonna die."

She says, "He's not cold. He's fine and it's not your concern." She quick puts her bags in her car, then opens the car and gets in, talking to doggy in her doggy-love voice, as if she really thought there was nothing wrong, and drives off.

Well I'm glad the poor dog did not die, anyway. Got back in my car, but waited a few more minutes in case the police officer showed up, so I could tell them the owner had come. Never saw a cruiser, so called back 911 to them to cancel the call. They told me the officer had already come but they would relay the message. Hmm I never saw a police car. Wonder if it was unmarked? Wonder if Maybe Just Maybe an officer went Inside and maybe talked to the woman there?

Anyways. Just writing this down because I feel quite emotional about it. Poor doggy. Even though the lady Acted offended and ACTED like she thought she'd done nothing wrong, I am praying maybe she at least Felt embarrassed enough to not do it again.

I mean she is a grown woman. How can someone live decades on this earth and believe it's okay to leave any living creature locked in an un-heated car when it's way below freezing And heavily gusting freezing wind? ??
 
A sage reminder weather hazardous to companion animals in autos not limited to high heat! Frigid cold can kill and is worthy reason to notify police. Kudos for calling and confronting the negligent human servant.

Not plugging Tesla, but Elon saw the importance of "Dog Mode" for heat and cold. Story: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a29591859/how-tesla-dog-mode-works-model-3/

tesla-introduces-dog-mode-thanks-to-customer-suggestion.jpg
 
Age does not assure maturity when cluelessness runs array!

You did the correct thing! With hope, she will receive a visit by your local police to check the wellness of the dog.
 
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She probably didn't consider the breed or size of her dog OR she was one of those people who had "outdoor" dogs growing up..but even "outdoor dogs" generally have hay or something to snuggle under and dog houses are so small that a dog's own body heat could probably warm the space better than a huge car..
 
Reading this reminds me of this one time while I was at work, this past summer, an elderly couple came in and had left their dog in the car. Now, this was a RESTAURANT in the middle of JUNE and the weather was in the 90s. They didn't even put the windows down for the poor thing. They were told not to leave the dog in the car, they just snapped and said that it's no one's business. The cops were called, they came, they handled the situation. The following week the same couple once again left their poor dog in a hot car with the windows up, cops were called again, haven't seen the couple since.
At one point there was this guy who came in and left his dog in the bed of his truck during June as well. The dog could be seen jumping around trying to stay off the burning hot truck bed and could be heard whining. No water, no shelter, the poor thing was just tied up in the bed of the truck. I wasn't there, I just heard about it one day. Don't know if cops were called in that situation or if the guy was reasonable.

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk
 

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