Dogs Left in Cars
Ginger and Odie, love to ride in the car, but they certainly don't want to be left alone in one. (That's Ginger in my car, as she poses for this photo.) Every year, I learn of way too many stories in the news about dogs being left in cars, and consequently dying from heat exhaustion. Even police dogs die in patrol cars! This breaks my heart. I'm sure that those dog owners never dreamed of doing such a thing, nor would anyone who's reading this post. So why am I writing about this here? Because I think some of us might still believe it's OK to leave a dog in the car for a short while if we park in the shade and leave the window cracked. I won't do it, and here's why: Any of us can be forgetful or distracted or somehow delayed, and a dog forgotten in a car can lead to tragedy. Dogs cannot cool themselves as we do, and their panting raises the humidity in the car rapidly, making it even harder for the dog to maintain a safe body temperature. It only takes a few minutes for the indoor climate to become almost tropical, and dogs are not designed for this kind of environment. It's a good habit to never leave a dog in a car unattended, not even for a few minutes. For example, when you stop to get gas and your dog is with you, pay at the pump, don't wait in line for a cashier, while your dog is heating up. If you need to get a snack, go to a drive-thru. Your dog gives you his heart, and depends on you for survival. Now go spread the word...
NEW! See the painting process below:
Ginger and Odie, love to ride in the car, but they certainly don't want to be left alone in one. (That's Ginger in my car, as she poses for this photo.) Every year, I learn of way too many stories in the news about dogs being left in cars, and consequently dying from heat exhaustion. Even police dogs die in patrol cars! This breaks my heart. I'm sure that those dog owners never dreamed of doing such a thing, nor would anyone who's reading this post. So why am I writing about this here? Because I think some of us might still believe it's OK to leave a dog in the car for a short while if we park in the shade and leave the window cracked. I won't do it, and here's why: Any of us can be forgetful or distracted or somehow delayed, and a dog forgotten in a car can lead to tragedy. Dogs cannot cool themselves as we do, and their panting raises the humidity in the car rapidly, making it even harder for the dog to maintain a safe body temperature. It only takes a few minutes for the indoor climate to become almost tropical, and dogs are not designed for this kind of environment. It's a good habit to never leave a dog in a car unattended, not even for a few minutes. For example, when you stop to get gas and your dog is with you, pay at the pump, don't wait in line for a cashier, while your dog is heating up. If you need to get a snack, go to a drive-thru. Your dog gives you his heart, and depends on you for survival. Now go spread the word...
