Is it Illegal to Leave Your Pet Alone in the Car?

[cyndi]

This article contains the laws, listed state by state. The laws are written very ambiguously, leaving them open to interpretation.

It also provides some advice to make sure your pet is comfortable. 

Nothing,  however, will stop a nutty do-gooder from breaking a window.

http://gopetfriendlyblog.com/is-it-illegal-to-leave-your-pet-alone-in-the-car/

 

[Almost There]

One of the dog owners' I knew in Florida used the 2 key system and left the engine running with the A/C on.

He also had a sign printed up that attached to the drivers' window that read something like this:

"The a/c and engine are running to keep my dog comfortable while I am away from the car"

Most do-gooders don't break the window themselves, they call the police or the animal control in the area which is a good thing since a lot of pet owners only intend to be gone for '5 minutes' and are actually gone for 45...all it takes is a line up at the check-out and that quick trip into the grocery store turns into a full-fledged shopping expedition.

Travelling with a pet and the inherent disadvantages was one of the many reasons why I decided to become petless when MacKenzie passed away. While I still miss him, I'm still happy being petless. I spoil others' dogs instead of my own...kinda like spoiling the grandkids....

 

[Theadyn]

I am seriously wondering if I should take my doggy, Chevy, out on the road when I head out soon. She has a place here that is comfortable, she is loved and is taken care of. But... she is happiest with mom. Which one is right?

 

[Almost There]

I am seriously wondering if I should take my doggy, Chevy, out on the road when I head out soon.  She has a place here that is comfortable, she is loved and is taken care of.  But...    she is happiest with mom.  Which one is right?

Neither one is more right or wrong!

Travelling with a pet, which I did for many years, came with the same responsibilities and joys as it did at home but with a different set of logistics.

I always had to carry extra food because the brand he was on wasn't widely available so there was extra planning involved with that.

When I was selecting which campground and then even which site within the campground, having him along was always a priority in the decision making. Florida was particularly difficult because so many parks had rules either banning him outright or having a (stupid IMO) rule about size of dogs. You can't try to claim a collie as being under 15 or 25 lbs....   That they'd rather have a yappy, ill behaved little dog over a well behaved, calm older collie was beyond my comprehension but they made the rules not me.

Travelling with him meant making sure that we found shade on a hot day. It was easier with the full size motorhome because I'd just crank up the generator and the a/c..not so easy in the vans.

Sightseeing was always a bit of a challenge because you couldn't take him with you in a lot of places, nor could you leave him alone in the van.

I was working on the road and between finding shows that would allow him in the back of my booth or finding a suitable kennel for him in a strange town was problematic. I turned down many a good show because of the logistics of finding him a place to be.

Shopping could be a challenge too. I took to shopping late at night when it was cooler and the stores less crowded so I could do it faster. If we went hiking during the day and he was worn out, he'd sleep right through my shopping and any noise in the parking lot rather than fussing about me being gone and people invading 'his territory'...he liked to protect the whole parking lot...

Only you can decide whether you and she will be happier together or apart!

 

[GotSmart]

Many people bring their pets on the road with them.

My cat would have a spot in the middle of the van where his water was set, and I always had the windows cracked and the vent running. Always air moving. His favorite cool spot was next to my water jug.

There would be several "caves" where he could go and cool off. Just do not close everything up and head out without planing in the safety and comfort of your pet.

 

[Canine]

I heard on the radio today about a pet left in a car. A passerby, Michael Hammons, saw the pet in distress and broke the window to save the pet from the excessive heat. (I don't know what really happened; this is what I heard on the radio.) The woman received a ticket for endangering an animal or something like that. Hammons is in jail and facing a up to a year in jail plus restitution for damaging her property, trespass, and stealing the pet. This was in Georgia.

 

[highdesertranger]

when I leave my dog in the truck I leave the windows down. I don't think you want to walk up to the truck and put your hand on the door. the alarm will go off and the alarm will bite. highdesertranger

 

[Canine]

Canine,saw the same article.Seems some folks are determined to rescue even when rescue is not needed.

 

[compassrose]

I have seen (and reported) dogs in vehicles with no engine running, windows rolled up with only a crack open and the outside temps in the 90's. Typically the dog is alone in the vehicle (they seem to love black vehicles in NM) with a 2" gap in the windows. It normally takes me over an hour to do my grocery shopping at Sam's. 30 minutes at Wal-Mart (much less stuff but only 4 registers are open). If the dog is still in the vehicle when I come out of the store, I contact the store. I think I need to start contacting the police. It seems the only time that anything was actually done was when it was a toddler in the vehicle with the dog. That they showed up for. I think that you should include solar deck fans (it's a boat thing) if you are going to have pets. I don't think NM cares if your dog dies in the vehicle unless they have to clean it up. That seems to be the attitude in Roswell. I will say that Home Depot has no problems with you taking your dog in the store as long as they are on a leash (short one is best), is well behaved and doesn't pee all over everything. My last dog loved going to Home Depot. She loved the garden area in the summer as the concrete was cool to her feet from all the watering. And she loved walking around the store having everyone tell her how pretty she was. I kept her in a harness that the leash was attached to... just in case the other dogs were not so well behaved.

 

[gcal]

If I saw a pet in a closed car in distress, I am one of the do-gooders that would call the cops. Not sure if I would break a window,. It would depend on the temperature and how the animal looked, I guess.

 

[gcal]

We either leave the a/c in the MH on or find a boarding kennel (usually about $10 for all day). If we have been around long enough to know our neighbors, we will leave the door open and ask them to keep an eye on him.

We have had to come home early and have not been able to go some places at all because we have our dog, but we knew there were going to be trade offs when we decided to take him. The reality is that we are responsible for his comfort and welfare, whether or not that is always convenient.

 

[Canine]

The reality is that we are responsible for his comfort and welfare, whether or not that is always convenient.

Aren't pets a pain in the neck! Lol. They are so worth it, though.   :heart:

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Anyone try that aluminet stuff they mentioned in one of the linked articles. I wonder if i could get one to throw over the van, but with the top cut to allow the solar panels to peak through. 70% sun barrier plus sucking up solar would be sweet, and pet more comfy..it also allows airflow.

 

[angeli]

Yeah,
I freely admit that I'm a "nutty do-gooder".  (Sound of tire iron smacking palm of my hand...)

Here's an item of interest about a bill coming up in FL on this subject.  I suspect that we'll see a lot more of this.  There are just too many folks who are careless with their fur kids.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...ida_55e5b4eae4b0aec9f35476e6?utm_hp_ref=crime

OF COURSE that is not directed at anyone here.

 

[GrantRobertson]

In Tuscon, AZ it is absolutely against the law to leave your pet in the car for even one second. Doesn't matter the time of year or how hot it is out. In Tucson, most of the time it is way too hot and way too sunny for a pet to be safe in a car. Don't know what the law is about pets in air conditioned RVs.

I didn't like most things about Tucson, but I do like this law. I think it should be the law year 'round in all southern, desert areas and should be in effect seasonally in other areas.

Now RV's would be different, IF they have air conditioning or some other system to prevent the temperature from reaching a certain threshold.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

In Tuscon, AZ it is absolutely against the law to leave your pet in the car for even one second. Doesn't matter the time of year or how hot it is out. In Tucson, most of the time it is way too hot and way too sunny for a pet to be safe in a car...

My truck is my home and I do not have air conditioning (air on solar is way beyond my means).  I travel alone with a beagle.  I can't leave him alone in the truck, I can't take him in with me to buy food or go to the bathroom, I must eat, bodily functions don't stop, I have to pay for gas ...  It is becoming illegal to live any way but a narrowly defined lifestyle.

Your second sentence tells me it is either a poorly thought out law or there is some unstated reason for the law.

-- Spiff

 

[compassrose]

Cars stall out and the AC shuts off all while the person is inside "shopping". How long before Fluffy dies?

I don't leave my pets in the car unless traveling for meal stops (and I sit to where I can see them and try to get in the shade). If it's too hot, I don't leave them in the car, I get food to go. I do leave them in the RV. The RV tends to hooked up to a power pole. I also have a genny big enough to run the air. I can leave the RV (bus) in a campground or on the generator and go shopping. I have been known to do my shopping late at night when it is cool out (Thank goodness for 24 hours Wal-Mart). If I want to go to an attraction or something and I'm going to be gone all day, I know that the dog (my daughter's greyhound) has her shots (including the Bordetella/Kennel Cough vaccine) and I can find a kennel for the day or even a place to give the little beastie a bath and nail trim. She does like dirt. If you want to keep your pet with you, you can but you will have to make allowances for them and take them into consideration. Putting a note on your vehicle with your name and cell phone number would be very helpful.

 

[highdesertranger]

so I have a crew cab truck. if it's hot out I leave all 4 windows down and park in the shade if I have to go into a store. if there is no shade I don't stop. is this wrong? highdesertranger

 

[Almost There]

so I have a crew cab truck.  if it's hot out I leave all 4 windows down and park in the shade if I have to go into a store.  if there is no shade I don't stop.  is this wrong?  highdesertranger

Only if the dog can jump out of the window, particularly if someone comes past and taunts or calls the dog. If the dog escapes the vehicle, then you've got an unrestrained dog on the loose, usually in a high traffic area.

And in some jurisdictions it would still be illegal according to the letter of the law.

 

[highdesertranger]

well he won't jump out a window. people can't taunt him I really don't understand this one, taunt him how, call him ugly, say his mama wears combat boots. if you mean someone will get close enough and stick their arm inside the cab they would be sorry for that. if he felt threatened he would move to the other side of the truck. he will not come for someone he doesn't know and I mean really know. highdesertranger