take my doggy for a funtime car ride when it's over 80 degrees, let alone leave her in the car...

My dogs loved to ride in the car, but they were very disappointed in the summer when I would not take them with me.

I have her window down so she can stick her head out. Kind of wastes the A/C and doesn't cool the car down much.

. . .we're just heading to the dog park so he can run a little.

GAC

when I had a Miata. So much wind and fun!

It is unbelievable how many children die each year because their parent forgot they were in the car when they went to work.

to alert there's something moving in your car......make it an APP

It would not be hard to make a system where if there is motion detected for y time, and the temp is over x, then the windows lower 2 inches, the fan comes on, lights flash and the doors unlock.

Carmakers could save some lives...

How the hell do you forget your child or your pet??? To forget a bag of chips or a cold six pack, okay, but a living being??? Seriously, WTH?

I was working on my car, and completely unknown to me, my black lab climbed in and curled up in the back seat. I finished, locked everything up and went inside. Just out of pure luck, I went back outside and noticed the car moving a bit. It had only been like ten minutes and a fairly mild day, but it was already uncomfortably hot in the car.

I'm very glad that my puppy didn't have to wait until I looked around and said "where's the dog?"

it's something that happens to people who are exhausted - wires in their brains get crossed and they forget, they get days mixed up, and think they performed an action they did not

Someone posted that article a week or so ago ... Very informative ... http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/fatal-distraction-forgetting-a-child-in-thebackseat-of-a-car-is-a-horrifying-mistake-is-it-a-crime/2014/06/16/8ae0fe3a-f580-11e3-a3a5-42be35962a52_story.html

excellent article

Ba-dum-bump.

Seriously, good video. A closed car on a hot day can be a death sentence to a dog.

when I was at the grocery store. There was another lady with me in the parking lot. We were both disgusted that someone would do that to their dog. The windows were closed, and there was no water for the dog, either.

My daughter called the cops on someone in the Target parking lot, too. People are so stupid.

I live in a Midwest town that has fairs and rodeos every year. A few years ago, we were suffering through a terrible heat wave with daytime temperatures over 110. On my way to the bank, I passed the local fairgrounds and noticed there were perhaps 25-30 horses in an arena area waiting for the evening rodeo. This was around 3:00 and the rodeo wasn't scheduled for hours. There was no shade, no way for the horses to escape the blistering heat. It broke my heart and made me absolutely furious.

I immediately called the local animal shelter to report the abuse, and they told me they would relay the information to the state humane society. Long story short, the local folks must have alerted the state because there were state officials at the fairgrounds within 30 minutes. The next day, I noticed state officials parked across the street from the arena, keeping tabs on the animals.

I know a lot might have shaken their heads and driven on by and hoped for the best, but I was willing to stick my neck out to spare those animals from undue suffering, and I have never regretted it.

Happened to me. I got something out of the back of my SUV and closed it without noticing that my cat had jumped in. It was in the sun but luckily I noticed her inside after a few minutes. Now I look before I shut the back. She's is a rescue that my old cat isnt found of.

into my phone for just such an emergency. I absolutely will NOT tolerate abuse to animals.

I called the cops on a guy who had locked his husky in a swanky jeep to have lunch with his buddies. A husky with a full coat!! It was over 90 degrees outside and parked in full sun. I called the cops but they said they wouldn't come. I went in and yelled at the guy to come outside but he wouldn't. So I stood outside trying to think of something to do. A couple people gathered and we started discussing breaking into the car to get the dog out. The guy finally came out when he saw all of us.

Our family's gorgeous husky had died a few weeks ago. I fought like hell to keep that dog alive and here was this guy who didn't give a crap about his dog. I was so mad I was ready to take whatever punishment for saving the dog. But the saddest part was I knew as he drove away, that an owner that awful would probably end up killing or hurting his dog somehow.

If the shelter would send someone out, I will definitely put them in my contacts.

Someone left a small dog in their car in the Kroger parking lot. They told me they would take care of it and in a couple of minutes a police car showed up, got the license number and went inside to find the person. I was waiting outside and the person came out and talked to the police for a few minutes and then drove away.

Fortunately, I live in a small town so it didn't take long for the police to arrive.

I will try it. I living in a big city with famously unfriendly cops, so have to find another way. I still can't believe people are so stupid.

In the car. The man attracted my attention because while I was unloading my groceries, he was messing around his car, checking windows and doors, got back in, held his hand to the AC vent, and acting very odd.

When he got out and started to walk away, I turned off my truck and started to get out to yell at him. Then he turned back, got back in his car, held his hand to the vent again, and got back out. I had my cell phone out ready to call 911 - then I realized his car was running. He'd been doing all that stuff to make sure the car was going to stay on and cool enough to keep his dog comfortable, I guess.

I stayed for a few more minutes and watched the dog to make sure it was going to be OK. The dog never even panted and looked very relaxed, sitting in the passenger seat very comfy.

Even on a 70 degree day in the full sun a car can heat up really fast. With the weather we've had here - over 90 - within a few minutes the heat can be life threatening. I wish more people would realize this for their pets and their infants!

Even then, I will only do it for a few minutes. There is always a risk of the engine or a/c failing. There was a story a couple years ago where some cop left his dog in the patrol car while he went and worked his second job. The a/c or engine quit and the dog died.

A couple years ago I had a woman chase me, with the store manager in tow, out to my truck in the parking lot after picking up a prescription for a friend.

I had noticed her acting a bit frantic looking for a manager as I was checking out. Then I realized she was after me. Yikes. I apologized for scaring her. She said she runs a rescue.

Unattended. They've both been gone a long, long time (1993 and 1999) but neither were quiet, sedate types. I've heard of dogs knocking shifts into drive and wouldn't have been surprised to have mine do that!

Our dogs were farm dogs - loved to run, hated to be fastened up. While they liked riding in the truck, they would not have been good about sitting and waiting. The few times I took them places, they got to go with me once we stopped. But they preferred staying home with the freedom of the 60 acres of farm.

I think it hardly ever happens, but it sure is being hyped these days.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/08/10/dead-in-minutes-dogs-and-heatstroke.aspx

"There are no statistics, but estimates are several hundred pets die this way every year."

Several hundred - out of 83 million dogs.

Stop the presses!!! Almost 0.00036% of dogs will die that way this year!!!

Well, that is somebody's wild guess.

It's a holocaust!!!

It's only a small percentage of animals suffering and dying, trapped in hot cars, so it's no big deal? In your opinion, what should the percentage reach before people are allowed to speak out on this issue?

just as I am allowed to point out the simple FACT - over 99.9% of dog owners know what they are doing and keep their dogs safe.

Thus, most of the time you see a dog in a car on a hot day, you can just mind your own damned business, even if, omigosh, somebody is doing something that you would not ever do!! (the horror, the horror).

Oh really? Where did you come up with that? Like the dogs I see riding unsecured in the back of pickup trucks?

"There are no statistics, but estimates are several hundred pets die this way every year."

Several hundred - out of 83 million dogs.

Stop the presses!!! Almost 0.00036% of dogs will die that way this year!!!

Handily quoted for you above.

Of course that does not include accidental death from ALL causes, but only in the matter being discussed - dogs in hot cars.

1 - 0.00036 = 99.964%

...entrusted with the care of any human or animal lives.

that someday you learn to tolerate people who live differently that you do, and who think differently than you do.

...dog does not change the world, but it does change the world of that one dog.

but it sure can make for a lousy frigging day.

seems to me you posted on my thread, complaining this issue is not worth worrying about.. Can't you tolerate a simple warning of the dangers a hot car may pose to a dog?

it's part of the hype.

Hype from people who want to break windows and pass laws and call the cops because a dog is panting a little bit on a hot day.

and "I hope you are not entrusted with the care of any living creature" isn't exactly a tolerant response is it?

Mercola as your source? Wow, I'm sold. I'm going to find a dog and put it in my car today!

I was just looking for actual data and google lead me there.

Do you have better numbers, or are you just here to make sure I get my minimum daily allowance of derision?

The great thing about the safety gestapo is that they are willing to ruin the life of 83 million dogs in order to save the life of 100.

Perhaps a little perspective is in order.

Yes, I can see how not being locked in a hot car and surviving would just ruin the otherwise happy life of a living creature. I'm going to lock myself in my car with the windows up and the AC off the next time it's hot here as I'm obviously ruining my life by not inducing heat stroke.

Seriously, you got me. I'm one of those morons who'd rather no animals died a miserable and preventable death due to human stupidity. Stupid me.

now I have my minimum daily dose of straw.

Good luck creating a perfect world where NO bad things ever happen.

Well, no bad thing besides a police state ruled by nannies who want to run everybody's life for them - all in the name of safety.

I'll leave you to deal with it on your own. I wouldn't cross the street to piss on you if you were afire lest it interfere with your autonomy.

If I see a living creature bereft of thumbs locked in a sweltering vehicle, I'll call the proper authorities or break out the glass myself.

I can see you're fond of straw and dollies; you keep spinning more to justify your untenable argument ("nothing should be done because not enough animals die in hot cars. Doing anything equals a nanny state.&quot .

is that I run into a$$hole cops enforcing safety laws "for my own protection".

Since, of course, after 52 years and 19 dogs, I am, of course, incapable of keeping myself safe and my dogs alive.

Again, though, the main threat to my safety seems to be the police state.

And for such a compassionate, caring person, you do say some vile things.

0.000059 of all children in the U.S.

There are still laws against it and awareness campaigns about it, because some people really are that stupid. The same applies to pet owners.

since almost nobody leaves their infant in a car on purpose. Whereas dogs mostly have to be left in the car, because you can't take them into the store, or the bank.

And most of the dogs left in cars - survive just fine without all of the hype about the sky falling down.