XP from Pets.. dog in car situation ( LONG!)

k, this is kinda long, but just so you get an idea of the whole situation.
DH and i live in NJ, and yesterday we were going hiking with about 10 friends. we all met at 10 AM at a starbucks. the starbucks is in a downtown area that has a central parking lot. we had brought our dog, chester with us because he loves hiking and being outside. since we weren't going to be at starbucks for long, we left him in the car while we walked over to meet our friends. it was only 10 AM, not hot out yesterday, and we left two windows down halfway.
WELL, he has a seperation anxiety thing and starts HOWLING the second we leave the car. its not that he was hot or anything... just that he wanted us to stay there with him. well, we're with our friends waiting for the last couple people, and we look over in the parking lot and there is a lady standing there with her arms folded staring at the car. so DH goes over, and the lady said "somebody called the police, but it wasn't me... and i wasn't the one who put a note on your car either". there was a note on the windsheild saying " the dog must be suffering, it is 70 degrees out" so a minute later, the police show up saying they had a complaint. DH explains that he was just getting a cup of coffee, and the cop shrugs his shoulders and leaves.
we're not sure how to feel about this... i mean, its great that the lady was looking out for our dog and we appreciate that. but at the same time, i think she should have taken the whole situation into consideration before calling the police. it was not a 100 degree day, and he was not in the car with the windows all closed up, they were opened at least half way. also, all of the stores in the area are ones you run in and run out of... its not like a mall where we could have been in there for hours..... what do you guys think??

Message edited 9/2/2007 11:00:20 AM.

Re: XP from Pets.. dog in car situation ( LONG!)

I think that if people see a dog howling in a car, they are going to think he is suffering.
I don't think it is such a big deal to leave a dog in the car while you run a quick errand when it is not hot if the dog doesn't mind, but if you already know he has separation anxiety and it is going to upset him, one of you probably should have stayed in the car. JMHO.

Message edited 9/2/2007 11:07:13 AM.

Re: XP from Pets.. dog in car situation ( LONG!)

Considering the specific circumstances you mentioned, I'm sure the dog would have been fine, and you weren't in the wrong.

However, I hate seeing dogs left in cars, and every time I do, I think "What if it were 100 degrees out" or how long has the dog been there. The temperature in a car is always much much hotter than it is outside. The lady you spoke to had no way of knowing that you don't do it all the time, and in worse weather conditions. I think she was right to do what she did.

Re: XP from Pets.. dog in car situation ( LONG!)

since there was two of you i wouls have brought the dog with us considering his anxiety and had one of us waited outside while teh other got the coffee.

Re: XP from Pets.. dog in car situation ( LONG!)

I understand why someone may have called the poilice, however, if that was me and i was concerned that a dog was left in the car, i probably would have waited a few minutes to see if the owner was coming out, before calling the cops. People bring their pets all over the place and sometimes you do have to make a stop and lots of places dont allow pets inside, so i would have been more patient before jumping the gun and calling the police.

Re: XP from Pets.. dog in car situation ( LONG!)

Re: XP from Pets.. dog in car situation ( LONG!)

Re: XP from Pets.. dog in car situation ( LONG!)

Re: XP from Pets.. dog in car situation ( LONG!)

The same thing happened to my cousin! She ran into subway, placed her order and told them to flag her down from the window while she waited in the car with the dog. When the food was ready she left the window open, went in paid for the food and when she got out less than 5 minutes later the cop was sitting there and wrote her a warning ticket! I agree with the others, I would have waited a few minutes to see if anyone came at least. I have left my dog in the car for short periods of time, like running into 7-11 or something, but I only take her to places where I can see her from the window when she is in the car.

ETA: I do agree with the others where I would have stayed in the car if there were another person with me, but I do think its overreacting for someone to call the cops for her leaving the dog less than 5 minutes on a day that is not too hot or cold.

Message edited 9/2/2007 4:29:17 PM.

Re: XP from Pets.. dog in car situation ( LONG!)

Sorry but I would have done the same thing

Re: XP from Pets.. dog in car situation ( LONG!)

I don't think you were in the wrong.

If I see a dog in the car, in a lot where people really aren't going to be long ie 7-11, McDonald's, Starbucks, I really don't think twice about it.

If I saw the dog in a mall parking lot or something like that, I would be concerned.

Re: XP from Pets.. dog in car situation ( LONG!)

I don't know this is a tough one. Obviously, now I know YOUR side of the situation. But, if I just saw a dog in a car - I would also probably call the police.

The thing that bothers me ( and I am not saying this about you but just in general ) is that you never know how long you are going to take. I know when I worked in a supermarket, people would come in for one item - but then there would be long lines, or the registers would crash . . . and I would often have people freaking out bc their dogs ( or EVEN CHILDREN! ) were in the car. I just never understood it, I guess and I also never really thought that these people should get to cut the line either.

I would never leave Brutus in the car - even today, I dropped him off before going to Dunkin Donuts, even though I would have been able to see him the whole time.

Re: XP from Pets.. dog in car situation ( LONG!)

Some temperature testing of cars and pets/kids

In 73 degree day, it takes about 20 minutes to reach 107 degrees in the car.

How can you be 100% sure you will not be 20 minutes? Like mentioned above, things happen. I wouldn't want to take a chance like that, and I think it was good of the other person to call the police. I probably wouldn't wait too long to call, either. Cops can't always come right away. If the person waited 10 or 15 minutes, and the cop took 10 minutes to show up, it would be 20 -25 minutes before they arrived, and the dog could have died by then.

Without knowing all the details, I would side with the person who called the police.

Re: XP from Pets.. dog in car situation ( LONG!)

Re: XP from Pets.. dog in car situation ( LONG!)

I guess for next time you'll know that one of you should probably wait outside with your dog.

You obviously love your dog. You were trying to show him a good time by taking him hiking with you. But like the other posters say, someone could have taken your dog and the car does get real hot with the sun beating down on it. I'm sure your dog was being dramatic, but you just don't know.

Everyone makes mistakes