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AIBU?

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Dog left in car at supermarket

57 replies

Sparklingtonic12 · 26/07/2024 20:38

I'd popped into a large supermarket earlier. When I returned to my car I saw parked opposite me was a black van with a staffy type dog sitting in the front. It had the passenger window cracked open slightly. The dog was panting alot.

I looked around and couldn't see anyone coming back. You obviously don't know how long the owner will be. Could be 5/10 mins, could be 20 or more.

So I decided to go into tescos and approach customer services. I was polite and said someone has left a dog in the car with the window down a small amount and it's panting alot. She kind of laughed and said in my experience most people come in and grab stuff and then go back out, usually if I call over the tanoy they get irritated. I replied that there was no way of knowing how long someone was going to be and not everyone is 5 mins. She then shrugged and I did get a bit cross and said don't worry about it then you obviously don't think it's important and I walked out. I sat in my car a further 10 mins and luckily the owner did come out but that poor dog.

It was fairly warm in my area.today too. It does not take long for a car to heat up in this heat. 5 or 10 mins could make a dog really poorly. It also had a short nose and these dogs are renowned for breathing issues.

Aibu to have gone into tesco and said something to customer services. I don't know what else I could have done really. Also was Ibu to be annoyed that the staff member did not really care about the welfare of an animal?

OP posts:
Acapulco12 · 26/07/2024 23:16

QueenCamilla · 26/07/2024 22:56

Just shoving more shit towards Tesco staff. How about dealing with what you witnessed yourself instead of passing on the buck?
Next time you feel a similar level of concern - approach the car, see if the door's open, see if the dog's alright. If it all looks concerning, write down the number plate & phone the police. If the dog is deteriorating and no police yet, then flag down a burly bloke and with tools to hand (tire iron, litter bin) smash in the window. Wait for the police to arrive. Congrats, you've saved the dog! 🎉💐
But that's too much take on, isn't it? It's much easier to be a dick towards a random shop employee.

I wonder what would happen without the miracle that apparently the tannoy is? What even are the magic words to get a man&van&bull-type breed kind of guy to speed up the purchase of his beers and baccie?

I wonder what would happen without the miracle that apparently the tannoy is? What even are the magic words to get a man&van&bull-type breed kind of guy to speed up the purchase of his beers and baccie?

What a delightful stereotype. Where did that come from? Is that because the OP thinks the dog was a Staffie?

momager1 · 26/07/2024 23:07

I would have broke the window. charges be damned. they would have a bigger charge if they chose to chase me for the money lol. I have two large standard poodles. We live in a very hot climate. (dominican republic) they love car rides.. so every grocery day we all load in the car. My husband parks in the cooler underground parking with the air on while I shop and they have fun watching everyone. I would never hesitate to break a window here or back in canada. ever.

QueenCamilla · 26/07/2024 23:04

XenoBitch · 26/07/2024 23:00

Being honest, how many people take notice of what is announced on a tanoy anyway? Most of the time, it is aimed at staff, and some people shop with headphones on.

Beat me to it.

2dogsandabudgie · 26/07/2024 23:03

EvilNextDoor · 26/07/2024 21:30

Shop in Waitrose they would have called over the tannoy

Quite a few years ago when an Aldi opened near us, I went in to complain about a dog being left in a car. No customer service so approached one of the till workers and asked her to announce it over the tannoy. She looked at me blankly as she didn't know what a tannoy was, when I explained she said they didn't have one!

QueenCamilla · 26/07/2024 23:03

And maybe it's just my "large supermarket" but the tannoy calls seem unavailable to customer's ears - they don't hear a call to evacuate, they don't hear that the card payments are down, they don't hear that the shop's closing in 10mins, nor that their child Eloise has been found by the bakery.
I wouldn't think it's a reliable way to communicate something if it's a real danger situation.

fruitpastille · 26/07/2024 23:00

The window was open and the owner came back within a few minutes as the staff member predicted.

XenoBitch · 26/07/2024 23:00

Being honest, how many people take notice of what is announced on a tanoy anyway? Most of the time, it is aimed at staff, and some people shop with headphones on.

QueenCamilla · 26/07/2024 22:56

Just shoving more shit towards Tesco staff. How about dealing with what you witnessed yourself instead of passing on the buck?
Next time you feel a similar level of concern - approach the car, see if the door's open, see if the dog's alright. If it all looks concerning, write down the number plate & phone the police. If the dog is deteriorating and no police yet, then flag down a burly bloke and with tools to hand (tire iron, litter bin) smash in the window. Wait for the police to arrive. Congrats, you've saved the dog! 🎉💐
But that's too much take on, isn't it? It's much easier to be a dick towards a random shop employee.

I wonder what would happen without the miracle that apparently the tannoy is? What even are the magic words to get a man&van&bull-type breed kind of guy to speed up the purchase of his beers and baccie?

DuncanMeBiscuit · 26/07/2024 22:54

Sparklingtonic12 · 26/07/2024 22:46

The more I think about it the more angry I feel at the lack of caring this woman had. She was kind of laugh and saying we'll in my experience.... well how does she know how long the customer has been in the store. She isn't mystic Meg! She was trying to make out I was making a deal out of nothing

That's why I would've asked to speak to a manager or someone else.

My local Morrisons always get complaints about dogs left in cars on hot days, and the staff are very caring and concerned.

Sparklingtonic12 · 26/07/2024 22:46

Yourdemonsyourproblem · 26/07/2024 22:32

You're lovely and did the right thing, the staff member is an idiot low wages or not it's called being human and caring

The more I think about it the more angry I feel at the lack of caring this woman had. She was kind of laugh and saying we'll in my experience.... well how does she know how long the customer has been in the store. She isn't mystic Meg! She was trying to make out I was making a deal out of nothing

OP posts:
DuncanMeBiscuit · 26/07/2024 22:40

Yourdemonsyourproblem · 26/07/2024 22:33

They can talk and open windows, dogs can't

It's embarrassingly obvious isn't it? 🙈

Yourdemonsyourproblem · 26/07/2024 22:33

Solocup · 26/07/2024 21:55

Meanwhile, 3 kids and 17 adults sat in other cars with the windows shut that you didn’t notice.

They can talk and open windows, dogs can't

Yourdemonsyourproblem · 26/07/2024 22:32

You're lovely and did the right thing, the staff member is an idiot low wages or not it's called being human and caring

Sparklingtonic12 · 26/07/2024 22:31

XenoBitch · 26/07/2024 22:30

Was it a car or a van? You have said both.

A van is bigger and is going to take longer to heat up.

It was a small black van, the back was blocked off so the space was only the front 2 seats so it would heat up quicker.

OP posts:
XenoBitch · 26/07/2024 22:30

Was it a car or a van? You have said both.

A van is bigger and is going to take longer to heat up.

Sparklingtonic12 · 26/07/2024 22:28

LlynTegid · 26/07/2024 22:10

You should have called the police, on the basis that you could not break a window and open the vehicle door.

The law should be changed, leaving a dog in a car without open windows should carry a long driving ban, no exceptions at all.

I agree however the amount the window was open was not going to do much to bring down the car temp.

OP posts:
Sparklingtonic12 · 26/07/2024 22:27

Solocup · 26/07/2024 21:55

Meanwhile, 3 kids and 17 adults sat in other cars with the windows shut that you didn’t notice.

Yes and not surprisingly there has been cases where people have left there kids in hot cars and they have died. An adult can open a door and step outside the car. A young child/baby or animal cannot. What a silly reply

OP posts:
LlynTegid · 26/07/2024 22:10

You should have called the police, on the basis that you could not break a window and open the vehicle door.

The law should be changed, leaving a dog in a car without open windows should carry a long driving ban, no exceptions at all.

marmiteoneverything · 26/07/2024 22:04

Solocup · 26/07/2024 21:55

Meanwhile, 3 kids and 17 adults sat in other cars with the windows shut that you didn’t notice.

Kids and adults who could get out of the car if they started to feel uncomfortably hot?

LindorDoubleChoc · 26/07/2024 22:00

kitsuneghost · 26/07/2024 21:53

It was Tesco, not the RSPCA. Its not their problem.

WTF?

LindorDoubleChoc · 26/07/2024 21:59

What the fuck has the staff member's salary got to do with anything?

Yanbu OP and staff member's attitude was hopeless. I'd follow this up with an email to the store manager saying that staff urgently need more training if they don't understand the danger to life (for children and animals) from being left in a car on a sunny day.

Solocup · 26/07/2024 21:55

Meanwhile, 3 kids and 17 adults sat in other cars with the windows shut that you didn’t notice.

kitsuneghost · 26/07/2024 21:53

It was Tesco, not the RSPCA. Its not their problem.

marmiteoneverything · 26/07/2024 21:51

I would contact the store manager, personally, and ask whether it’s store policy that they don’t put a call out over the tannoy. If it is, then it needs to be changed. If it isn’t, then the woman you spoke to should have advised you to go find someone else if she wasn’t comfortable doing it.

Dogs die in hot cars. If you notice it again I would call the police.

AegonT · 26/07/2024 21:37

When this happened in ASDA when I was there a member of public had already broken the dog out and called the police. The police came and gave the dog owner a talking to and told the person who wouldn't expand on how he knew how to pick car locks that he did the right thing, they would have got the dog out but if we didn't think it could wait it was reasonable to break the dog out in hot weather.

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