Did I over step my boundaries w/these dog owners?

simseema17

Homo sapien
Jul 14, 2007
1,068
1
I was just at the grocery store, and when I walked out, I saw these two poodles in a car with the windows slightly cracked open. It's between 70-80 degrees here, TOO HOT FOR DOGS IN A CAR!

So I waited awhile for the owners to say its too hot for them, but they hadn't come out so I left a note, but as I started to pull out, I saw this old couple getting into the car.....soooo (I couldn't help myself), I went over and said its too hot for dogs in the car, and they said oh it was only going to be for a few minutes, and so I said, I know but I worry they could get heatstroke so easily, it gets too hot in the car, the lady replied, you're such a good woman....:confused1:


I remember, someone gave me these sheets before from some website that just said its too hot for dogs in a car, and you could just leave them on someone's windshield....I'd rather avoid talking to them in person, but I just felt so bad for those dogs! When I got back to my car from the store, it was def hotter than 80 inside the car! I couldn't imagine that feeling!


Would you have said anything? Should I just mind my own damn business? Does anyone know of that website w/handouts on why its bad to leave dogs in the car?
 
I've called security at the parking lot and had them announce over the loudspeaker the license plate and have security have them give the "talk".

The animals are little people too!
 
It is actually illegal in most places to leave an animal in a car in warm weather. I don't think you overstepped at all. You were really nice about it. I have called mall security a few times when I saw an animal in a hot car.
 
You did the right thing. Dogs aren't super natural beings that can withstand anything. Yeah they might eat bugs and dirt, but they appreciate cool temperatures on a warm day. I've been in a car for less than 'a few minutes' on a mild day, and when you're INSIDE it's not the same as outside. The car warms up very quickly and it gets hard to breathe. Window cracked slightly will do nothing for them. Have they not heard of the many tragic stories of people leaving their BABIES in the car and end up dying?! It ONLY takes a few minutes.
 
Good for you, I think you did the right thing. I once had to wait for the owner to come back, because she had left her chihuahua in the car, and on top of that the dog was wearing a sweater. No cracked open window, so I gave her a piece of my mind. Hopefully she never did this again.
 
Those flyers are great. You did the right thing. Animals cannot speak for themselves. How would they feel if they had come out to 2 dead poodles? I hope they don't do it again.

Cars get hot, quick. I was in my car the other day in the parking garage on the upper deck. It was about 75 or so and I turned off the car for about 4 minutes and was looking for something inside. It got HOT, at least another 10 degrees in those few minutes.
 
It can be hard to "confront" people you don't know, but if I were in that situation I would always have wondered how many other times the owners would do that, and that it only takes one minute for the heat to be too much. You did the right thing and I hope others will be brave enough to do so too.