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Original poster

Colleague reported me to RSPCA

486 replies

wobblymum1 · 13/07/2023 22:08

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
user1492757084 · 14/07/2023 03:54

Maybe this would be okay for poipping in to the shop but your poor dog could perhaps be inside witih you at your feet.

crunchermuncher · 14/07/2023 04:31

Why are you so angry with your colleague? They are obviously a dog lover and were concerned for your pet and took action to make sure your dog was ok which apparently it was. Isn't that a good thing? Why not be glad you work with some socially responsible people? It's not about you, it was about concern for your dog.

Even if you feel like you risk assessed the situation and concluded the dog would be OK rather than doing it completely thoughtlessly, it's not a universal view that it was a harmless thing to do and it could have ended really badly if the shade had moved round and the car ended up in the sun. Even on cool overcast days cars can get hot really quickly - they're like a greenhouse on wheels!

TommyNever · 14/07/2023 04:46

Unfortunately this goes on all the time - people buying dogs knowing full well that they won't be able to look after them properly. The cruelty begins with that very decision.

Jabbitt · 14/07/2023 05:01

I don’t understand why you don’t just leave your dog at home? Being cooped up inside a car for 8+ hours a day is neglectful. I couldn’t ever do that to my dog.

FlorenceOrTheMachine · 14/07/2023 05:10

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

FOJN · 14/07/2023 05:10

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.

I find this bit bizarre for a couple of reasons.

The RSPCA officer had a chat with the dog through the open window? I'd love to have been a fly in the windscreen for that one. What an odd thing to write in a note.

How can the RSPCA be satisfied that the dog is OK when they have no idea how long the dog is left in the car each day and how long this arrangement has been going on? Perhaps it's not a problem when it's cooler but it certainly is when it's sunny and a car can heat up quite quickly when the sun comes out. I would have thought that at a minimum they would have tried to find you and talk to you to make sure you understood all of this.

I would have reported you too, not to be an arsehole but because I would be concerned for your dog.

Whoiscomingtosaveyou · 14/07/2023 05:14

It won’t have been the RSPCA because they don’t cover Scotland.

Humidititties · 14/07/2023 05:23

I'm not understanding why you didn't just WFH, you say you're allowed so why put the poor dog through that unnecessarily

RedHelenB · 14/07/2023 05:40

jennyjones198080 · 13/07/2023 22:37

Your colleague was concerned about the welfare of an animal.

if you truly are a responsible pet owner you should be glad someone was concerned to see a dog left in a car all day.

your response to this is odd.

people don’t take owning pets seriously. Leaving a dog in a car for eight hours sounds cruel - no wonder the lady was concerned and bravo to her for acting on that concern.

I would never leave a dog in a car. I don’t even n Ii into the shop on the way home from taking mine out for a walk. I dip him home first - get him cleaned, dried and sorted with water first.

And now we have a new one for mumsnet, martyr dog owners. Dogs are fine outside shops for a few mins.

noglow · 14/07/2023 05:48

WildUnchartedWaters · 13/07/2023 22:37

Dont know why shed bother. Doesnt seem that much work gets done in this place with people going out for cuddles, cigarettes and standing around cars calling people idiots.

Show quote history

Good point

isthisit83 · 14/07/2023 05:48

OP I'm sorry you're getting flamed for this. You know your dog. I think it's fine. I can see why the lady reported it, but if your dog was calm and happy, I don't see any issues. As you said, the car was well ventilated with windows ajar. My previous dog would also have been totally fine with this. Some dogs would have been stressed. Depends on the dog.

wearesuceeding · 14/07/2023 05:50

OP I agree with you.

People seem to think leaving their dog at home for hours and hours all alone to have free reign of the house is better than taking them to work with you and tending to them regularly throughout the day.

The latter is far less lonely.

You obviously wouldn't do it if your dog didn't settle in the car.

My dog is fine in the car. He loves a morning work, then sleeps for hours. Then has another potter around/play/walk and then another nap.

We have a walker who comes in at lunchtime, but have previously brought my dog to work who stayed in the car for a few hours (had air conditioned mode on the car, he was checked on, walked, happy to sleep) . Such a fuss was made that dogs are now banned being in cars full stop.

Unfortunately you won't be able to change some peoples minds.

The same people will happily leave their dogs at home to be so lonely but ofcourse you are the cruet one for giving your dog regular walks and attention throughout the day.

Shydelta · 14/07/2023 05:55

You’re staying very calm, OP. I don’t know what it is about Mumsnet and animals, but I’m about to return to the UK to work in an animal welfare role and hope this thread isn’t representative of the entire UK population as they appear to have lost any sense of proportion or common sense about animal welfare.

The SSPCA officer appears to have agreed. He or she probably get sick of non-events being reported as he or she will be dealing most days with animal cruelty and will know what that actually looks like.

Give your lovely dog a cuddle from me.

noglow · 14/07/2023 05:56

wobblymum1 · 13/07/2023 22:48

My work hours are 9-3 but with my mandatory lunch hour I’m on site 9-4, I Pop out for 5
mins every hour to see her (my office has my allocated parking space beside it), so i choose
to not take my
morning 20 min break and afternoon 20 min break but instead pop out hourly this week, but I also work on in her evenings
for
40 mins to ensure all is covered, not sure what’s hard to understand?

Show quote history

You get one hour and 40 minutes break! For 9-3? Is it dangerous work with machinery?

Aprilx · 14/07/2023 06:02

You should be ashamed of yourself.

You are not fit to own a dog. It is staggering that 18 pages in you still do not realise what you did wrong. Your colleague was 100% correct to report you and what a shame that the RSPCA didn’t actually do something about this despicable cruelty and neglect.

Aprilx · 14/07/2023 06:03

Shydelta · 14/07/2023 05:55

You’re staying very calm, OP. I don’t know what it is about Mumsnet and animals, but I’m about to return to the UK to work in an animal welfare role and hope this thread isn’t representative of the entire UK population as they appear to have lost any sense of proportion or common sense about animal welfare.

The SSPCA officer appears to have agreed. He or she probably get sick of non-events being reported as he or she will be dealing most days with animal cruelty and will know what that actually looks like.

Give your lovely dog a cuddle from me.

Please get a different job if you think this is ok.

noglow · 14/07/2023 06:03

wobblymum1 · 13/07/2023 23:57

Because of
my
new reading glasses
that make me
have to type with one eye closed 😂I prefer to
think of
it as like a haiku until optician fixes prescription😂

Show quote history

Just to say I love this :)

hattie43 · 14/07/2023 06:09

Dogs die in cars . Enough said and I'm glad your colleague was looking out for her .

DaSilvaP · 14/07/2023 06:11

OP you are the sensible one.

I used to have a dog and every now and then there would some "concerned soul" giving me unasked advice based on only what's in their head.

Some would admonish me that the lead is too long, other that it's too short ... you get the picture.

Quveas · 14/07/2023 06:12

Sirzy · 13/07/2023 22:09

Sounds like your colleague is the only sensible one!

Not suprised at the RSPCA since I have no time for them at all. But you don't deserve your dogs. The only kind of dog that should be in a car all day is a nodding one that fits on the shelf. It disgusts me that you think what you are doing is right. Please do reaise hell with your employer - hopefully they will deal with you!

Whydoiwearsomuchleopardprint · 14/07/2023 06:17

I really hope this is not true, this is awful. Even on cool days cars become fairly stuffy even with windows open. I don’t agree with leaving dogs alone at home all day either but surely this is better than being stuck in a car all day, poor dog!

SummerSunSoon · 14/07/2023 06:19

That’s a lot of inconsistencies.

Shoxfordian · 14/07/2023 06:27

Your colleague was rightly concerned about your dog; maybe she’s known of someone else who left their dog in a hot car or something and that’s why she reacted like that.

Museya15 · 14/07/2023 06:31

I'm with your colleague, good for them.

TheSeaDoesntKnowMyName · 14/07/2023 06:33

wobblymum1 · 13/07/2023 22:48

My work hours are 9-3 but with my mandatory lunch hour I’m on site 9-4, I Pop out for 5
mins every hour to see her (my office has my allocated parking space beside it), so i choose
to not take my
morning 20 min break and afternoon 20 min break but instead pop out hourly this week, but I also work on in her evenings
for
40 mins to ensure all is covered, not sure what’s hard to understand?

Show quote history

You might be with her for 5 minutes, but I bet it takes you more than that.

Going to be at 2 minutes to close up what you're doing and pick up your keys and walk to the car park, that leaves you 1 min to spend with dog.... not much. I think you are underestimating your time out there

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