Leaving dog in the car?

[RoyalWelsh]

At the moment I'm a student and my boyfriend (who I live with) works 9 - 5. Ive just had my new timetable for the next 12 weeks (until I graduate -yay!) and on two days I have a morning lecture (at 9) and an afternoon lecture (at 3.30.) both lectures will last approximately an hour, so all in all I'd be away for the car for about an hour and 15 minutes. I park my car in a very very quiet cul de sac so there's no through traffic and not really many pedestrians.

My question is this: it's crossed my mind that instead of having to leave her in the house from 8 till 6 ish two days a week, could I take her with me? Leave her in the car during the morning lecture, take her the ten minute drive to the mountains in between lectures, then leave her again? It's too far for me to drive home in between lectures, as it takes about 40 minutes. Is it cruel?

No. Someone may steal her. She may die of hypothermia. Nor is it okay for you to leave her at home that long. Can you afford a dog walker to come in or do you know anyone who would look after her those days?

I think she would be far better and safer in the secure familiarity of the house and you would be able to concentrate better too.

Someone may steal her, or steal your car and dump her in the road, and in a few scant weeks it will be warm enough to literally cook a dog left in a car.

Drive home in between and take her for a walk. This semester I have a lecture 11.00 to 13.00 and another at 18.00 to 20.00 on the same day - my university is a 50-minute drive each way and you bet that I will be driving back in between to walk the dogs.

I am aware that I am mad.

I agree, don't leave her in the car, it's too risky. You've got stacks of time to drive home and be with her/walk her.

I would have said that if your dog was happy in the car for that long it was fine, but one of our family dogs was stolen from my mother's car. If you have a 5 1/2 hour gap between lectures then a 40 min drive doesn't seem a very big deal.

It's not the length of time of the drive that bothers me, it's the cost of the drive, if you see what I mean? One round trip costs me roughly £9.50 and I really can't afford it twice in one day, not for a couple of months anyway! Hmmm... And the worst thing is, I neve even considered someone stealing my car! Mind you, if you could see it, I'm sure you'd understand why.

My friend said she would take her while I'm in the two lectures on Thursday so hopefully it will work out now.