Colleague reported me to RSPCA

[wobblymum1]

Not sure what to do with this one…..
I work for a big company and have been taking my dog to work with me
this week as my usual dog
walker is away. We’re in north Scotland so It’s not hot, I leave all the car windows open 1/3 way and come out hourly to check on her, offer water and a wee and walk her in my lunch hour.
oddly (to me) yesterday a colleague from a different department I don’t know at all was standing by
my car when I came for one the checks-
she told me she was reporting me for leaving my dog in the car all day, that I was an idiot and that I should be ashamed. I was so shocked I didn’t say anything, and today Found a note on my windscreen at the end of the day from RSPCA to say they’d had a welfare call about a dog locked in the car, they’d come and found her calm with windows open and had a chat with her thru the open window (?!) and were satisfied she was well cared for and NFA.

do I just leave it at that? Or try and find the name of the women who reported me and complain on basis of her being so rude? It all just seems so odd.

I wouldn’t put much faith in the RSPCA/Scottish version officer saying it’s ok. RSPCA are useless when it comes to calling out abuse.

you’ve posted and the majority have said you’re in the wrong. Take it on the chin and don’t do it again in the future. I’ve had dog Walker disaster before and I’ve had to drive home for my lunch break to do a quick walk. Not ideal and had to make up the time but my alternative was do what you did and that didn’t sit right with me at all. I hate sitting waiting for DP to grab something from the supermarket for 10 mins, let alone 7 hours.

That's because it only appeared later on when things werent going well.

Yeah, telltale signs of bullshit. Which is why the OP isn't bothered by these comments.

Anyone who genuinely thinks this is okay needs to rehome their dog. It's impossible to know the car temperature will stay cool. I don't for one minute think an animal welfare organisation would okay this.

I have a lap dog breed, not even one that needs a lot of activity, and they would be bored silly by this arrangement. Can you organise dog daycare? They'll get a walk and play time with friends.

Interesting Op leaves shortly after claiming many colleagues do the same with their dogs.

Someone is missing a trick by not opening up a doggie daycare by your office. All those dogs could make for a lucrative wee business

Wow!

Would you do that to a child? Of course you wouldn't because Social Services would have something to say about it, you may even have been prosecuted - so why is it OK to do it to a dog?

Just because it isn't illegal, doesn't mean that it's the right thing to do. The Welfare officer was allegedly happy - did she know you were leaving the poor dog there for a whole week??

I get that you were let down at the last minute, so I could maybe understand it for Monday, but for the rest of the week you could have sorted something else out - another dog walker, WFH, family etc

If I had seen a dog left in the car, I would have done exactly as your colleague did. Even when it's only 12 degrees, when the sun comes out, it can get extremely hot in a car - even with the windows open. A dog can become extremely distressed and even die within an hour if this happens

Both you and SSPCA are satisfied that your dog is fine. I think you just need to shrug it off and move on.

😭🤣

daft (yes u op) to think leaving a poor dog in a car all week wi a wee visit here or there is perfectly normal and everyone does it. never heard such bull.
u are
more bothered about a woman telling u off and ur poor ego being hurt than about ur poor animal who u clearly have no empathy off.
there are many other potions u could have done yet have not. shame on u.

In Scotland..

Totally
Agree, thank you😊

Potions?

ooh just noticed ur gonna leave now. not getting the attention u want op?
ur a clueless person and don't deserve your dog if that is how u treat him/her. this is NOT OK. do ur dog a huge favour and give it to someeone who actually bothers about its welfare and will
love it. then maybe your colleague will have some respect for you. i sure as hell don't. or for any person who can't look after their animals.

Well according to this study https://www.ntu.ac.uk/about-us/news/news-articles/2020/07/leaving-dogs-in-cars-is-dangerous-all-year-round,-even-winter,-study-shows

It's NEVER ok to leave a dog in a car, even on a cool day.

And the SSPCA advice (just checked their website) is also to "never take the risk" and leave a dog in the car, even if it does not feel hot outside.

It
is school hols
in Scotland but my
kids
are
in holiday camps, not sure why that’s relevant but happy to answer!

Omg yabvu! Glad she called them. You can't leave a dog in a car all day. That is cruel.

Everyone saying the colleague did the right thing does not seem to realise that the SSPCA agreed with the OP, and that the dog was fine.

If the colleague was "right" - the SSPCA would have taken action. They weren't, and they didn't.

OP, your thread appears to have attracted some loons I'm afraid.

Feeling very sorry for your poor dog.
I would have reported you too.
The fact the rspca are not taking any action doesn’t mean it’s ok to leave your dog in the car all day.
Its hardly ‘ taking your dog to work’

Your poor, poor dog. Of course it’s better for them to be kept at home 9-3 rather than locked in a small car! You should have walked the dog before work and then can do the same after work, leaving them home alone in between where they have space to move freely. Even if it had been during the cooler months, to leave a dog in the car that long isn’t nice. I also live in the North of Scotland and it was warm today - definitely too warm for a dog to be left in a car all day. Dogs are much more sensitive to heat than humans and I really don’t think you’re appreciating the impact you’re having on your poor dog. Instead of repeatedly saying ‘it’s not illegal’, perhaps you should acknowledge the fact the numerous responders may actually be on to something and you made a poor call?

And yet welfare officer happy
she’s calm, and ok and he’s recommended NFA so I’m all for guidance but I have her with me
this week and doing my
best to keep her comfortable as assessed by SPCA soooo….🤷‍♀️

clearly you’re not at the top then!
its rainy, high
of
12 and everyone here wearing coats

I presume you are in Caithness where it was 14 degrees at 12pm. Not exactly boiling, but just another inaccuracy in your story.

If they are left with good ventilation, in the shade, checked regularly, it’s no different to being left at home in a crate.

Totally agree!

not sure why they all think they know Better than
SPCA- Ah probably If I said she’d been home alone all day that would have been wrong to too.