O Oracle of Stupidity, Whose Death Has Thou Foreseen?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

The people in this story need to be fucking killed. I mean that literally.

As for your leaving your dog in the car, people frequently underestimate how long their errand will take. They also underestimate how fast a car becomes unbearably hot. Now, I don't know how hot it was outside, but I've heard a story of child dying in a car with the temps outside as low a 70. And living here in SC, where summmer temps go from 95 to 111 on any given day, I can tell you that a car can heat up once you park it pretty much instantly.

Factor in that dogs are far more sensitive to heat than humans, and you are running risks with your pet that you probably wouldn't take if you realized how dangerous it is.

Time your errands for when you don't have to leave your buddy in the car alone. It's not worth the heartache you might be setting up for yoursef.

[Andara Bledin]

People need to realize that cars are made of metal and glass: the same things you use to build a greenhouse.

^-.-^

[scary cary]

Every summer here in Vegas there are a couple dozen reports about people dying from dehydration, pets dying from being left in cars, and babies also dying from being left in cars. That issue is not something we take lightly, living in a sweltering hot desert, and the complaining woman is an ass to not have taken down at least the color and make of the car. That being said, she probably should have gone to security not the front counter. She probably meant well, just went the wrong way about it.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Oh, I quit reading the freaking local news around here as soon as it starts getting warm, usually sometime in April.

I can't stand it. I really can't. Everytime I find out about another case of some kid dying, or really even some pet dying, it really, truly does something awful to me inside.

It gets so hot here you can cook eggs on cars and sidewalks, and that's no exaggeration. Add to that the near suffocating humidity, and you have a dangerous situation on your hands. You park, turn off your ac, and by the time you are done applying a quick coat of lipstick, it's already so hot you can barely breath.

And no, I'm not someone who can't stand heat. I LIKE it. But I also respect the dangers of weather like this.

[Starlord]

In Arizona, the law now is, if you see a dog (or a baby) in a car, and the car is locked, you may break a window to rescue the baby or animal. Of course, we have temps here this time of year that most people don't even want to think about. As I write, the thermometer on our porch is reading 118 degrees F. The thing is, most people who leave their dogs in cars here are from cold country, and they don't realize that, even with the windows 'cracked', the temp in a car can zoom to dangerous levels even when the temp is comfortable outside for humans, that sunlight shining through glass, in effect, creates a solar oven, that can cook a dog's brain in minutes.

[Pagan]

Yeah, we have the same problem in Albuquerque, and it's worse in Las Cruces and El Paso since they're about 10 degrees hotter. Every year they run PSAs about not leaving your pet/kid in the car and every year, there's stories about a pet/kid dying in a car. (Same thing about not swimming in the arroyos, yet every summer, they're fishing some idiot out).

Well, here's what I found for Albquerque, but if I see a dog in obvious distress, you can bet your butt I'm not waiting for DPS!

Summer Heat Precautions for Pet Owners

The summertime usually means enjoying the outdoors, kids being out of school and a time to catch up on errands, but as you head out for fun in the sun activities with your pet, keep in mind that the outdoors can bring some harmful conditions for your pet.

Summer heat in the car can become too extreme for pets and owners need to realize that in a matter of only minutes, the temperatures inside a parked car can soar to deadly levels. On an average day with a temperature of 70 degrees, a car parked in the sun can reach a scorching 160 degrees and within 15 minutes the body temperature of an animal can begin to damage the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

For pet owners, it is important to learn the signs of heat exhaustion. Dogs do not sweat and can eliminate excess body heat only by panting. If the temperatures become too high, panting becomes ineffective. Body temperature rises rapidly and death follows quickly if body temperature is not immediately reduced. If your dog is overcome by the heat, immediately soak with water and seek veterinary care as soon as possible.

According to the City of Albuquerque Animal Ordinance, you are not allowed to leave an animal in an enclosed vehicle for a length of time, which could result in danger, or death of an animal. Public safety officers may enter a vehicle by any means without being liable to the owner of the vehicle if the animal is in immediate danger. In non-emergency situations involving pets, please call 311 or 505-768-2000 to contact Field Services of the City of Albuquerque Animal Care Center.