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

[Spaceman Spiff]

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

Had animal control called on me three weeks ago in Spearfish, SD.  88°F, parked in shade, windows open, fan on in cab, dog had water.  Went in to get groceries, came out, officer was at my truck, beagle was in full song.  Someone had to have called as soon as they saw me leave the truck.  It was obvious the dog was in no distress (officer complimented me on taking precautions for my dog), but it really bothered me.

Compassrose: putting my cell number on the window is a good idea.  As for a kennel for the day; my beagle was abandoned at 1 year old and is terrified of being abandoned again.  Leaving him in a strange place all day would be cruel punishment.  It's limiting, but he's family.

Cyndi: thanks for the link in post #1
 
-- Spiff

 

[Canine]

That law is frustrating. Like has been said, what do we do when we can't leave our pets in the car? Leave them at home? The more you leave a dog alone, the more neurotic it becomes. This law, while helpful, is simultaneously creating problems. Not baking to death in a car is good, but developing mental problems from neglect is bad. A life of neurosis is a terrible life to live.

Some countries in Europe allow dogs in restaurants and grocery stores. Those dogs are much more balanced and well-behaved. To the best of my knowledge people aren't getting sick from allowing those filthy beasts where people eat and -God forbid- where people shop for food. Americans sure are uppity when it comes to pets. Or sex. We have some remarkably negative views of that compared to other cultures.

Service dogs aren't causing sickness or filth when they are allowed in U.S. businesses. Even when the dogs are in medical clinics, there aren't any problems that I'm aware of. Perhaps we need to think more what we can do for our dogs rather than being reactive in a negative way such as smashing windows to save a pet and leaving it at that. Smashing windows has its place, but in conjunction with other more positive, less damaging solutions.

 

[Almost There]

The biggest problem with dogs is their owner! Seriously!

I can't begin to count the number of dog owners I encounter who have absolutely no clue. The dogs are allowed to pull on leashes, are fed diets worse than junk food and are generally ill mannered.

I must sound like a broken record or a real #$%% when I preach training and adequate nutrition every chance I get.

But then some of the worst offenders I know shouldn't have children either 

I love dogs, some more than others but I don't even like dogs who aren't properly socialized, trained and picked up after in urban areas.

And yes, I had well behaved, socialized dogs for over 35 years so I know that it takes work, but then anything worthwhile usually does.

Oh and Canine, it takes more than leaving a dog at home occasionally while we run errands to create neuroses.

 

[vanman2300]

I have to agree the problem is humans. Although it really makes no sense to enforce a law like this on a day when it is cool weather people will keep pushing the envelope on this by making their own minds up on what is too hot. Common sense rarely prevails.

 

[highdesertranger]

if common sense was common everybody would have it. highdesertranger

 

[eDJ_]

My family and I have wonderful memories of traveling with the ol' wiener dog in the Van with us.  But that
was before the days of the "Nutty Do-Gooder's".   Where I live they are climbing all over everyone with their
sanctimonious animal rights/cruelty/neglect/busy-body natures.   It doesn't stop there. They are the "Hall Monitors" of the parking lots watching the handicapped parking places ready to froth at the mouth if
anyone pulls into one without their handicapped sign displayed on the rear view.  (some folks don't drive around with some of these big blue signs as it obstructs their vision when driving...so they put them on the rear view once they are parked). These may vary in size by state.  I've even seen some states that issue a license plate that has to be displayed on the dash once parked as they don't issue rear view mirror signs. 

I have an ol'Tom Cat now and he's half feral and half crazy.  And there are nuts here wanting Cats to have license and a leash law for them.  One Judge wrote an opinion in the newspaper stating that in his research, that Cats
were about half way as far up the evolutionary scale as Dogs.  So they are more the semi wild animals. 

Walk a Cat on a leash,  ya may as well put roller skates on him too !    And a muzzle so he can't bite you out of
spite. 

So if I had a pet today,  I doubt I'd take him on the road with me.  I'd miss him greatly but choose to carry a photo of him instead to protect him from the "deranged" well meaning Do-Gooder's who want to give everyone else a piece of their mind although clearly they can't afford the loss.

 

[highdesertranger]

eDJ great post. I have actually seen people with cats on leashes. I have also dealt with the do-gooders. imho they are the worse society has to offer. they have to butt their noses into other peoples business. I will not go into details here because it had nothing to do with my dog. highdesertranger

 

[compassrose]

... I have actually seen people with cats on leashes....

I put my cat on a leash. Actually the cat was my dog's pet. The cat thought she was a dog. A big dog. She like to go after dogs. I put the cat-dog on a leash. It was safer.

 

[Sameer]

Well.........Mr. Pico has to stay in the Van while I am shopping...I do not travel where the temperatures are so hot as to worry about it. I don't have air conditioning and rely on shade and all the windows open....In almost three years I have never had a problem. Hopefully some idiot will not make some issue about it.

 

[DannyB1954]

I haven't been traveling much in the RV which has a generator and A/C Unit. So we are mostly in my truck. I have a pickup with a flatbed that I made and a lumber rack. On the part of the lumber rack that extends over the cab I put 3/4 plywood to keep the cab in the shade. If it is really hot, I also leave the A/C running. The truck requires a key with a chip in it to start, but will stay running if I use a key without a chip, (but hold the chip key next to it). I then use a steering wheel lock, and a chain between the steering wheel and a grab handle. If somebody does want to break 2 locks to steal the truck, they will not be able to restart it once shut off without a tow to a dealership. On my model, new keys can only be reprogrammed at a dealership.

 

[Almost There]

For all the car/van dwelling dog owners aomething I saw in a large parking lot the other day needs to be brought up.

While it was not illegal it was certainly inconsiderate of fellow shoppers - someone had left 2 very large vocal dogs in their car while they shopped. That in itself was not the problem BUT what they did was!

Windows were down about 6" - just far enough for the dogs to be able to get their heads fully out of the car.

The car was parked as close to the store as there was a parking spot available.

The poor lady returning to her car was unable to access her drivers' door to get in her car and leave because the dogs barking at the tops of their vocal range and aggressively were within biting range had she tried to walk between the two vehicles. She was old enough that slithering across the front seat would be problematic.

Yes, she admitted to a fear of large dogs but I looked at the two dogs carrying on in their owners absence and I would have been afraid as well!!

If you own a dog and you leave your windows open (which they should be), for goodness sake park somewhere on the perimeter of the parking lot where no one else is going to be inconvenienced or worse by your pet!!

 

[compassrose]

I am currently in a very small town on I-25 with a 24/7 semi-super Wal-Mart. It has a nice large parking lot typical of Wal-Marts. They are open 24/7. Lots of folks stay there over night (and up to several days... it's a college town). We were there at almost midnight doing a little grocery shopping. I saw one of the little travel trailer that has a full timer in it. I recognized the trailer from previous years when we lived here and had the food cart on the Plaza. The guy would park under the trees. He would buy a hot dog or two from us and David would give him a bunless hot dog for his dog. We did that for folks who brought their pets by when they bought from us. We would also give him the left over 'dogs at the end of the day for his dog. We did this for a few folks. Any way.... There the little trailer hooked to his truck is sitting out at the far reaches of the parking lot along with a few other overnighters, and I'm pretty sure his dog was inside. The days were still pretty hot but it cools off at night. No one goes up to the overnighters as they are at the deserted parts of the parking lot. My point being here is.... Do your shopping late at night, when it's cool out and you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[highdesertranger]

good point Almost There. highdesertranger