It should be blindingly obvious in this heat, but apparently not... yet another dog left in a car parked on hot pavement this morning, yet another clueless owner 'But I was only gone a few minutes'.
So once again, the annual dogs-in-cars summertime PSA:
In this extreme heat, your car will turn into an oven within a few minutes. Your dog could suffer heatstroke if you leave him in the car, even with the windows cracked open, even when parked in the shade.
If you see a dog left in a car, please try to find the owner. If the owner can't be found quickly, call the police or fire department as the next step. They will break into the car.
If the dog is in mortal danger, if you believe that the dog will die before the police arrive, you may break into the car to save the dog's life - but you must minimize the damage, doing only what is necessary to get the dog out. If you have to resort to this, call the police and tell them what you are about to do, giving the license plate number. Enlist a passer-by as a witness to the condition of the dog, record the condition of the dog on your Handy, note the temperature, etc.
Taking proper steps should protect you against charges of damage - in such cases case the dog owner is usually liable for the damage to the car.
The dog owner could also face prosecution for animal abuse.
The owner should then be locked in the stationary car " just for a few minutes" and see how they like it! Beggars belief that people can be so stupid.
We have delayed our drive to France until 4am tomorrow morning just so we can keep the car cool enough for the little one in her box. It is something else to think about, even with air con it is often too hot for your pet to travel for more than a few minutes in the car.
Probably, if you have water with you as a passerby, giving some to the dog would be a good idea too. Also storing some water in your car as an owner of any pet - and for yourself.
I called the cops for one not 20 minutes ago (Sunday morning). A tiny little dog, maybe a terrier of some sort, sitting in the back window of an all black (interior and exterior) car at the Zug Bahnhof*. Poor little guy was barking up a storm, the windows were completely sealed... I walked around the parking lot then rang 117. The police promised to send someone over after asking** me a few questions (how long has it been there, what's the license plate, is it in the sun or not - half half, by the way).
We saw from Starbucks that the owner got in the car 5 minutes later, so the police didn't get there first, and the dog is ok, but it made us angry that someone would be so stupid.
*That should be enough detail for the culprit to identify himself should he be a reader. Maybe it will kick some sense into him.
**I was mildly surprised to learn that the police didn't have anyone on staff who spoke English. Not a problem for me, but still somehow surprising, given the high percentage of foreigners here. Another good reason for y'all to learn the local language. ;-)
Thanks for getting involved, Corbets. Civil courage at it's best.
The poor pup could have easily ended up a statistic; let's hope that the owner learns from the incident.
Good point about language. Out my way, emergency services ( police, fire, ambulance, even the hospital emergency intake staff) also will likely speak German only. If one is not yet not yet functional in the local language it is a good idea to keep a cheat sheet of common 'emergency' phrases to hand.
A dog owner's car was broken by police. The owner says he left the windows slightly open and that he checked the car's inside temps before he went skating with a friend, leaving the pup in the car.
Fidji the boxer was left in a car for four hours while his owners went shopping in IKEA. They thought it will be just a short trip... By the time someone noticed him, it was too late. Even a surgery at the vet's didn't help him .
The continual evidence of the idiocy of some owners makes me weep for their animals, and for the future. What is wrong with these people that the even the most basic understanding of responsible ownership eludes them?
I can only hope that the owners will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. And I can only hope that more countries - including Switzerland - will finally start to put some teeth into their animal protection laws.
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As an aside:
I know many EFers chafe at the SKN requirements, some EFers are blatant scofflaws who refuse to take the courses. But this is exactly why basic ownership training is needed: too many people, even longtime owners, lack the rudimentary knowledge needed to be in charge of sentinent beings. At least the mandatory classes take a stab, however feeble, at trying to instill some basic common sense and responsibility.
If I see a dog in a car in this heat- I will wait 5 mins then I smash the window - I just don't care about repercussion from owners. S*d them. I just do not understand those people who witness distressed dogs in cars and won't take direct action!
