Sunday morning, June 12, 2011

Hi, Everyone,
Thanks for stopping by!
I had an incident yesterday which has prompted me to share with you on my website.

As a former Animal Cruelty Investigator for eleven years, some things you never forget. Educating people on how the heat can rise to a very dangerous level inside a parked vehicle, especially in the sun is a mission I am constantly on. Yesterday was another time I witnessed two cute Schnauzer dogs inside a vehicle in a parking lot at a local Wal-Mart. The windows were down about two inches on both sides of the vehicle. The temperature was around 75 degrees and partly sunny, and very humid.
This incident has prompted me to share with you.

After calling the local law enforcement to respond, I checked back with them after about 20 minutes as I had to leave. (A half hour had already passed from discovering the dogs in the vehicle and the local law enforcement arriving and the owner had yet to return. I had no idea how long the owner had left the vehicle.) The dispatcher said the officer arrived and advised the owner of the dogs to leave them at home next time she went shopping and not in a hot vehicle. So, with that incident resolved, other dogs were not as fortunate in other cases I observed of the years as an investigator.

One of the most exasperating investigations I had to deal with was people leaving their dogs in cars while they went into the store for just a short time (which usually turns out to be much longer), was to witness their dog (s) in a vehicle, parked in the sun, heat of the day rising and making its way into the vehicle through windows cracked a little bit, and the animal inside is panting profusely, barking at passers-by (protecting the vehicle of course), jumping back and forth between the seats, and the people are totally unaware their dog (s) brain is about to be fried!
In a very short time, when the temperature outside is 80 degrees or higher, (five-ten minutes max), the inside of a vehicle can reach over 100 degrees! In the meantime, Fido or Fifi, is running out of ways to cool him/herself, as the heat is intensifying inside the vehicle. Even with the windows cracked about an inch or two, hot air going inside, the temperature rises at a very fast pace. Plus, the dog (s) are continually excited at people approaching the vehicle, looking inside, which only makes matters worse and escalates the dog's dehydration. Little do the owners know how quickly things can change for their beloved pets!)
On many occasions in the past, after calling the local law enforcement to be there as witnesses, with thermometer on a string, placed in the locked vehicle through the slightly lowered window, I have watched and observed in horror, the stress level of the dog (s) inside and the temperature reading is over 100 degrees! It is not pretty. Nor is it a pretty site to find puppies on the floor behind the front seats, and in a locked trunk, parked in the shade of a big tree and the temperature outside at 10 a.m. is 85 degrees with the sun pouring in the front window and the temperature in the car is 104 degrees and the temperature in the trunk is 112 degrees! (They did survive, but barely. We, local police officers and I), placed them in pans of cool water and then took them to the veterinarian for hydration. The person was charged with animal cruelty and the puppies were adopted out.)
Then, while waiting for the owners, sometimes having the store announce the owner to return to their vehicle if possible, the unsuspecting owner arrives, words are exchanged, "I was only in the store a couple minutes...he/she..is fine...how dare you...I love my dog (s)...you have no right...on and on excuses.
His/Her reply? "But they love to go for rides!"
My reply? "Okay, I'm sure they do, but when it is hot, take them around the block, then take them back home!"
"Sir...Madam, you better get your dog s) to the veterinarian right away. There is a serious problem going on with them. They are really stressed and possibly brain damage is occurring right now. Do you see how hard the dog (s) are panting? Do you see the white foam on the tongue? Do you see the eyes rolling and going back and forth?"
Let's see, the humans make the rules, the dog (s) follow them, usually. So, if he/she didn't take them for a ride in the car, what do the dogs do at home while he/she has gone shopping? Do they even know he/she has gone shopping and made them stay in the comforts of home? Hmm.

Leave Fido or Fifi at home! When the temperature is 70 degrees or higher, the temperature of a vehicle (even in the shade if the temp. is 80 or above), can intensify to life-threatening degrees in a very short time!

Here is another one for you: I observed a woman back in February on a warmer day, around 30 degrees, going down the road with the sunroof open and her dog was sticking its head out the sun roof for a few seconds, then back down into the car, then back up again. I followed the lady as I was on my way home when she turned into a gas station. I followed her in. We rolled down our windows and I asked her, "Did you know the cold air hitting your dogs eyeballs could actually freeze the liquid of them and cause permanent damage?" She did not know this and promised to not allow the dog to do that anymore. She thanked me. (Would you allow your child to hang its head out the window on a cold day?)

Regarding bugs: When taking Fido or Fifi for a car ride, do not let him/her hang their head out the window! Sure, it looks really cute on commercials, but there again, the danger is lurking just in an instant. I know of dogs who have had their eyes removed because a bug went into the eye traveling at 40 miles an hour, and destroyed the eye!

Then there is the case of a dog that had a bee go into its throat. The bee stung the dog in the throat, the throat swelled, the dog died before the owner realized what was happening!
Just some words of caution for you.
Best regards,
Becky :)