Had an incident with a woman this morning who’d left her dog in a hot car.

[SquashMeDown]

Went to town this morning, when I arrived and parked there was a car nearby with a dog barking and sounding upset.

I went to get a parking ticket and saw that a man was already watching the dog.

The windows were open a tiny bit but there were wind deflectors in the windows so only about a mm of ventilation. It’s a sunny day, and the temperature just over 20°.

The man then left but took a photo of the car.

I hung around for a few minutes wondering what to do. I was just going to get a drink, so took a photo of the outside of the car with its number plate, with the intention of coming straight back and deciding what to do. In all this took about 10 minutes.

As I was leaving a woman came up to me and aggressively told me to delete the photo, that she didn’t give me permission to take the photo. I pointed out I was worried about her dog so had hung around and didn’t want it to be hurt or die. She was so rude and aggressive, claimed she’d only been a couple of minutes (she wasn’t, she was at least 10 minutes). I stood my ground and explained I was just looking out for her dog, but she was so awful - she could have been lovely about it and appreciated that someone was looking out for her poor dog, but no, she was defensive and turned it all round on me.

AIBU for thinking that leaving a dog in a hot car for over 10 minutes is fucking cruel, and she did nothing to help herself by being so angry and rude?
Or should I just have minded my own business?

I would report her and keep the photo
you did the right thing

Absolutely you’re right and I would have done the same as you. Poor dog

You were right to look out for the dog. And people don't need to give you permission to photograph their car in a public place.

You did the right thing. I’m disgusted at people taking their dogs out in the city centre in the middle of the day at the moment.

Report to RSpCA. She needs a stiff talking to. Who on earth doesn’t know that dogs/kids (anyone, really, shouldn’t be left in hot cars?

In my opinion, you did exactly the right thing. Dogs can die in these circumstances.

So you watched a dog suffering and took photos for 10 minutes? I’m not sure you’re the hero in the piece you think you are. She was clearly wrong and you can legally keep your photos for your fb rant on the local group later.

You were 100% right.

Always phone the police in this situation the call handler will talk you through what to do. I was advised to phone back after 10 minutes if the owner wasn’t back. The call is then logged, number plate taken etc if you end up taking matters into your own hands or they send a patrol car everything is documented and timed. I don’t understand why some people have pets to treat them like that.

She was never going to appreciate being told she was a bad owner ( she is but anyone leaving a dog in a car is not a reasonable person). However you did the right thing being aware of the situation, I would have probably reported it regardless.

If she hadn’t of left her dog in a hot car you wouldn’t have had to take a photo. Simple!

She sounds like an idiot.

You did the right thing.

I’d report her and put the pic on local fb groups
Shes an utter twat

The only thing I would have done differently is reported it but it’s possible the man who took a photo had done so or was going to check again 5 mins later. I THINK if you have time stamped photos showing the dog has been left longer than a few minutes (depending on temp/size/breed etc) a member of the public can break a car window. Obviously far better for a police officer to do so.
You were right to be concerned. Owner should have dropped dog back home and then gone to the shop.

I would have called the police.

I think the law should be changed so that leaving a dog in an unattended car more than a certain amount of time is a crime, regardless of temperature. With very few exceptions. If convicted, you get a lengthy driving ban and the dog is re-homed.

Or allow you to break into the car, though with modern locks, I am not sure how easy it would be to free a dog without them or you being injured.

She sounds awful. She knew she was wrong.
But I'd also question if the situation was: the car in full shade, 20C, fine to leave the dog in the car for 10min with windows open properly where the dog is not distressed and barking at having been left alone. Still risky though as the owner could get delayed returning to the car.
Upset dog or higher temperature or no shade absolutely stupid thing to do.

My poor darling dog was begging me for her usual walk this morning but I overslept and by 8am I had already missed the window to go- and she was lying in a puddle of drool in the hall. She is miffed with me for not taking her but I am not risking her in this heat. By 9am the lid of the garden bin was burning my hand. She is now lying in the shade of the trees in the garden, pooped out and annoyed at missing her morning walk, but not at imminent risk of heat exhaustion / death. The sun is coming over to her part of the garden so now I will make sure she goes inside to the northfacing rooms of the house, curtains closed and windows open.

I wish people would realise dogs are so much better off left at home in a darkened cool room with a bowl of water, miffed and disgruntled at being left behind but not at risk of death, than taken along in a moving oven on wheels

@SquashMeDown well done OP ♥️

It’s obligatory to have a dog-in-hot-car or walking-dog-on-hot-day thread at least once a week on all social media platforms because it enables posters to have their essential sainthood validated by the collective rightness of right people.

10 minutes early morning with the windows open was probably fine.

10 minutes at 20 degrees with the window open should be fine, shouldn’t it? I’m not in the UK and 20 degrees is considered warm-ish here so I probably wouldn’t even think twice about doing this (although don’t have a dog so this is purely hypothetical!)

Ye gods! My dog comes to work with me, sleeps in the car most days. I have a tail vent lock, shaded windows, leave the front windows cracked open and a wet towel at the tail gate. He is alone for up to 30 minutes ( yes, I know, but he gets a walk after every stop, meets lads of people and enjoys his days out more than he likes staying home)

But never, ever in warm weather. When the temperature rises he stays with dog walker and inside the house with next door popping in on him until the temperature drops off again

Not being aware of the very quick danger to dogs in cars these days is surely impossible. Having said all of that 20degrees? Windows open? It's was probably fine

I hate FB for this kind of crap.

I hope you didn't delete it.

You don’t need her permission to take a photo. She was batshit. Maybe knew she was wrong so got defensive?!

Unfortunately RSPCA won’t do anything. You’d be astonished as to how high their bar is now in order for them to get involved. If a dog is fed and sheltered then nothing else matters apparently. Funding issue.
So many people (understandably) think of the RSPCA as being like social services for animals but it couldn’t be more different

Fair point. I’d always assumed that in that position I’d immediately call the police (and after this morning I would just do that and not bother waiting to interact with the owner).

As it was I dithered and waited because I doubted myself whether this was reason enough to report. My plan was to ring the police if it was still there when I got back. But you’re right, happy to take that on board.