AIBU to think leaving a dog out in this heat is neglect?

[helpfulucy]

Just saw this tweet of a woman who let her dog out alone into this heat and the poor thing died.

https://x.com/ThePosieParker/status/2069805937058009534

She claims he 'escaped' and then clarifies that they have a dog door and didn't shut it in the heat. Not really a Houdini act if you leave the bloody door open!

AIBU to think these people should be investigated for neglect/animal abuse? We all knew it would be hot this week and any responsible pet owner should make sure their animals are safe.

Are you really that stupid?! 🙄

My dog wants to lay in the sun, but she's big (the bigger they are the more they struggle) and she's black (so absorbs the heat). Do I let her do her own thing? No! Because I'm a responsible dog owner. She gets 3 minutes set on the timer and that's her lot, once an hour! Then she is brought back into the air conditioned house. Am I cruel? She thinks I am...

As long as animals have access to shade and water I don't think it's animal cruelty/neglect to allow them outside. I have fans on but mine still go in and out. The dogs think it looks lovely and sunny and realise after a few minutes it's not lovely at all and come back in. The cats tend to find somewhere shady outside to sleep.

It's very strange how nonchalant the tweet is though, and breeding pugs is cruel. I wonder why the dog didn't take himself inside, possibly other medical issues preventing him in which case it would be neglect to let him have unattended access. I think there is more to this story.

I have 3 Frenchies, for the last 3 days we have literally been in lockdown. I’m bored stiff, but the dogs stay put if I’m inside. The fan is on, they’re wearing cool jackets, the doggy paddling pool is outside in the shade for the occasional paddle. The cooling mat is currently in the freezer for a quick chill, they love it.

They’re all good with breathing for their breed, but that’s irrelevant in this unbelievable weather, it’s relentless, can’t wait for it to break, 😵‍💫

I burnt my feet standing on the tarmac barefoot yesterday while I sorted my shopping delivery. No way I’d let a dog out unless it was supervised for a quick bob around the grass.

This is awful. I'd feel so ashamed and devastated for the suffering of my poor dog, I certainly wouldn't be being glib about it on X. 'So long' really?! Wtf.

D'yall recognise Kellie Jay Keen ? Posie Parker ?
Massive Womans' Rights Campaigner .

The So Long Gilbert was cold , like she waved him off at the station.

Yes and she's great usually. Agree with most things she say but she got this wrong.
We need to protect our pets by ensuring they can't get out in the heat. If they do and die then you don't announce it publicly. Tone deaf.

ok, well thats your opinion. I disagree it would take that long. Fortunately the retro-mops movement exists.

I do not think it is neglect. I think it is a tragic accident. She did not leave him out. He went out through the dog flap and for whatever reason, did not go back in.

My greyhound was black, and would go out and roast herself in this weather, but after a while she would come back in. She would be too hot to touch. She would cool down, and go back out and do it all again.

I do not understand why people are saying her comment about it is flippant. Not everyone does a huge outpouring of grief online when they lose a pet.

If a dog got out and died of hypothermia we'd call it neglect, this is the same. Neglect does not have to be intentional. How was it out all day and no one noticed, pets are not independent they need feeding and company at some point.
I agree it was obviously a tragic mistake. To post 'so long' just sounds so horrible like a 'meh whatever' tone.

No, because the dog had access to get back indoors. For whatever reason, and another poster has said maybe it because pugs are thick, the dog did not go back indoors in a dog flap that was accessible to them.

I assume KJK dog was used to the dog flap arrangement for going out to do their business. Had she locked it to prevent them going out, they would have done their business everywhere indoors. A house trained dog does not like to do that and can get distressed. That would also be called neglect, or even abuse to deny a dog a place to pee/poo.

I have seen people who have lost pets say "see you later", and things like that. We all deal differently with pet loss. I am certain KJK is devastated, but she does not owe anyone a display of that online. It is a private thing.

Honestly, she’s chosen a completely irresponsible and cruel breed, so I’m not entirely surprised but there are no excuses for this. I don’t have a dog but I am “close” to one and we all make every effort to ensure his comfort. Dreadful

I'd like to know how long the dog was left if she felt she needed to leave the dog flap open. Leaving a dog for hours on end is neglect.

Yes that is neglect. But one of my idiots keeps going out and lying in the full sun😳

Looking at the photo, the dog was grossly overweight. That's not a tragic accident, that's a cruel choice which surely added to the dog's suffering.

My dog doesnt have free range of the garden most days, but has for the hot weather otherwise she finds the sunniest patch of floor and bakes in it. With the door open she wanders in and out, between shade, air conditioning and sun with plenty of water and regular checks.

Having the door open isn’t negligence by itself.

It is awful, so upsetting! If she had said she accidentally forgot to lock the doggy door and he got out then its a tragic accident, the fact she thought if he was too hot he'd come back in is ridiculous. My pug would happily sleep in the sun, dogs wont necessarily move if they normally like the sun, he tried today but I moved him immediately. It has been so hot even a short wee break in this weather has been too much for him.

It is tragic, I very much doubt hes the only dog this has happened to. Accidents do happen but this wasn't, it was probably more lack of knowledge rather than neglect though.

Presumably you wouldn't leave your dog all day doing this though just in case she fell asleep in the sun and didnt come back in on her own accord.

I have an alaskan malamute as well as a pug, he is pretty good at staying in the shade so hes been outside in the mornings and evenings but I havent let him in the garden during the day, or if I have its been fof the toilet and I have watched him the whole time.

Genuine question - do dogs not know how to get back in an open door that they made their way out of? Like flies? And are they not able to seek shade if they are getting too hot?

Maybe she's got a flippant tone but I don't really see how she's at fault here. It's been hotter in my house than out so if I had an animal I'd make sure they could get out.

An overweight brachycephalic dog such as a pug is likely to succumb to the hot weather faster than other breeds.

I know a few dog owners who have been taking their dogs out for a drive because there is air con in the car.

Good question. Dogs generally can’t be trusted in the sun as they will lay out in it. They must be told to go inside. A dog born with disabilities, like a pug, is sadly very uncomfortable on an average day here in the UK, but is in mortal danger during a heat wave.

Thank you so much for helping the pugs you have. Demand for these dogs (extreme brachycephalics) creates a market which ultimately perpetuates suffering.

Eta meant to quote @Isitevensummer

She was very irresponsible. Pugs are well known to be at high risk from heat and dogs are usually too thick to know if they're getting too hot. Our dog has zero survival instinct and would try and kill himself in a hundred different ways if we let him, it's the owners responsibility to make sure their pet is safe.

My dogsitter says my pug has 9 lives! He really does. He is 6 and is blind, he still tries to go for our 50kg dog, he has eaten a poisonous caterpillar then went straight back outside when we return from the vets to find it, he has eaten so many things he shouldnt, incl chocolate, he thinks he can fight all big dogs.

He actually isnt even a stupid dog, hes very clever but dogs dont regulate heat well generally and once they do overheat it is extremely difficult to get them back to a normal temperature. I wouldn't allow him to make the decision of whether he stays outside or not.

In one small area near me they have had 27 deaths this week due to dogs overheating, most hadnt even been out for walks, just couldnt keep cool enough.