Wtf cousin? Sad dog story

katiewhompus

Tonight at dinner my dad informed me that my cousin's beloved Spaniel had passed away yesterday. The last time I saw this dog was 5 years ago when he was only 5 months old and the cutest thing ever.
How did the dog die you ask?
Well, apparently they put the dog in the truck cab to take him down to the lake by their house, but didn't want to let him out because they didn't want the dog to go into the lake. In the "hustle and bustle" of getting their 7 year old out of the car they forgot to crack the windows or turn the AC on. They arrived back at the truck an hour later to find that he had already died from heat stroke.
Wtf were they thinking? I'm so pissed at them right now for being this irresponsible. There were at least 20 adults within a 1/2 mile radius of the truck the entire effing time.

aprovencher21

And I'm crying....and feeling like I want to beat your cousin.

kimheartsscott

My brother's friend's sister did this to her spaniel when I was younger, only in their driveway and she didn't have a kid to blame it on.  As a child I was fascinated by it because they temporarily stored the dog's body in their freezer.

laurenclaire1386

Oh.my.gawd. WTF?! How horrible.

jamiefour

That is terrible

katiewhompus

She's normally uber responsible too. She and her husband have had dogs ever since they were both 3 and they are now in their late 30's. She just lost her teaching position too even though she had tenure and 15 years with that school system.
I want to offer my sympathy but I just don't think I can

sarah0725

There was an article on CNN today about how there's an epidemic of this sort of thing happening to babies.

kimheartsscott

Yeah, I always check cars I walk by at the grocery store for babies.  I have no problems breaking windows first and calling 911 later.

katiewhompus

Poor babies
I once had to break into someone's car when I worked at PetSmart because of this. Our policy is three warnings over the intercom system spaced at 2 minute intervals and then we are required to do whatever necessary to remove the animal from the vehicle. The owner threatened to sue the company over the damage just as animal control showed up and arrested her for animal neglect and endangerment.

aprovencher21

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_wtf-cousin-sad-dog-story?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:7eb86f08-f3ed-4f07-8518-634aed448e43Post:a1bc9738-ed88-4b1b-b2c5-de9bae5469d2">Re: Wtf cousin? Sad dog story</a>:
[QUOTE]There was an article on CNN today about how there's an epidemic of this sort of thing happening to babies.
Posted by sarah0725[/QUOTE]

I would never leave my dog in the car  Who the hell leaves babies in the car??  Not to mention heat/cold issues.....but hello kidnappers?!

kimheartsscott

I think I would be pacing the store freaking out for that 6 minutes.

laurenclaire1386

I just don't see how people think it's a good idea to leave a living creature in a fucking car without the windows cracked. Hell, in south LA, even cracking the windows isn't good enough in July and August. You just can't do that. How is that not common sense in the middle of the summer?

kimheartsscott

Yeah, I crack my windows when I'm at work and it is still 200 degrees in the car.  Not good.

katiewhompus

Yeah, the final announcement after 4 minutes is "Attention all customers, please pay attention to this very important announcement. There is a Blue Chevy Cobalt in the parking lot with the license plate XXXX000. You have left your pet in the car and we will be breaking the window in 2 minutes."
All of the customers in the store cheered.

Also on the news today, guy (I think in Georgia) had a CO2 tank in his truck blow up from the heat. Completely destroyed his car as well as 6 cars parked around him.

laurenclaire1386

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_wtf-cousin-sad-dog-story?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:7eb86f08-f3ed-4f07-8518-634aed448e43Post:68744e8f-7d90-4fb5-b678-aa0b85ce01ad">Re: Wtf cousin? Sad dog story</a>:
[QUOTE]Yeah, the final announcement after 4 minutes is "Attention all customers, please pay attention to this very important announcement. There is a Blue Chevy Cobalt in the parking lot with the license plate XXXX000. You have left your pet in the car and we will be breaking the window in 2 minutes." All of the customers in the store cheered. Also on the news today, guy (I think in Georgia) had a CO2 tank in his truck blow up from the heat. Completely destroyed his car as well as 6 cars parked around him.
Posted by katiewhompus[/QUOTE]
This is so ridiculous because you CAN BRING YOUR DOG IN PETSMART. I get running into a gas station for something quick, which I've done on road trips. But Jesus, if I <em>could</em> take my dog in everywhere I sure as hell would.

brookelynpaisley

Oh my god, that's horrible. I just can't even imagine. How do you forget an animal like that? I'd smack her personally, but that's me.

sarah0725

Here's the article (warning: sadness may ensue):
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/07/07/hot.car.parenting/index.html

It's basically about people who were supposed to drop their kids off at daycare but forgot and then drove straight to work.

katiewhompus

Yeah, the stupid wench decided to "run to Target real quick" which is next to our store. If you bring your dog to run errands in stores that accept him that's fine, but don't do your normal errands as well if he can't come.
We also had one person who asked if she could drop her dog off in our grooming salon while she went to Best Buy. We said no because she had no vaccination records for him and she threw a shitfest. She said "Well, it's not like you have any power, so maybe I'll just leave him here and let you deal with it." I informed her I would be calling animal services to pick up the dog the second she stepped out the door and she went away with the dog.

nda_roxybabe

Thats awful

A few weeks agoI left Q in the car while I ran into cvs to get milk, I was so nervous about him that I literally RAN in an out- they were out of milk though so I had to take him home then go to the regular store.

rak123

Aww, poor doggy

number55

We had a case in Canada (in Quebec) earlier this week during our heat wave when a woman accidently locked her keys AND her infant in the car, with the windows closed, and it was about 41 degrees here with humidity. She called 911 and they told her that it wasn't an emergency and that she would have to deal with it herself! She called her husband and he came with a hammer and broke the back window but it was huge in the news because really, 911 should be responding to those types of calls (which they later said they did!).

Still, at least she didn't intentionally leave her kid in there. I know that I have been uncomfortable within minutes of being outside this week, I can't imagine an hour with no water. Just stupid.

BecW2be

That is heartbreaking. I can't imagine anyone thinking about leaving any creature in a car in this heat. 

The cases I've heard of leaving babies in the car are mostly parents who break their routine and are supposed to drop the baby off at daycare or something they don't usually do day to day, and they forget. I just don't see how that can happen. When my girls were babies I had mirrors set up to see their faces in the rear-facing seat, I talked to them, checked on them, etc. Even when they slept.

The news story I saw said parents need to put something in the back seat that's important to them, like a cell phone or purse, so they have to get it out when they arrive, and they'll see the baby. ISN'T THE FUCKING BABY THE IMPORTANT THING IN THE BACKSEAT?

MarriedInAFever

Very sad! Someone left their child in the car at a local mall this past weekend. Mall Security broke into the car and the mother came out HOURS later.

Jelenny

it's frustrating....i do dog rescue and i recently had an issue with PetSmart...my FI and I ran in to check out dog beds (some got chewed up between my dog and four fosters) and when we came out I noticed this time the car we parked next to had a dog in it....

we were in the store for about 10 min...all the windows were up, in the sun, and it was about 80 degrees.

my fi knows me too well whipped out the camera phone got a picture of the plate and stormed inside to have them PAGE the owner...the clerks first made me wait in line - really?, then they would NOT page because the store manager said no.  I was fuming since PetSmart has the promise of promoting health and well being of pets...why the hell was the dog NOT in the store with the owner dogs are welcome there?!?! so i waited and had some words with the owner who then actually hit my fi with the car (not hard but none the less) this was after he cussed me out and told me it was none of my effin business....he said his car was not hot - YET he immediately rolled down his windows when he got in...

i ended up called PetSmart corporate and the manager was in the wrong - if he didn't want to page "a paying customer" as I was told then the staff should have gone isle by isle having the owner report to their vehicle.

if anyone is interested they have some really cool flyers at www.mydogiscool.com
i keep them in all our glove boxes because unfortunately there are a bunch of idiots out there...at least now i know in columbus, oh if a dog is in distress you can leagally break the car window.

missy68

I had to stop for milk and had Max in the car (we had been at PetSmart), and did a literal run in and out like Roxy did, then I put the top down for the ride home. But the windows were halfway down. Fortunately, we were still in the upper70s/ low-mid80s. 
But for hours? No way. We do drive thrus when we go to TX in the summer, and alternate who goes to the bathroom.

[Deleted User]

That's horrible. How could something think that leaving a dog in a car with just a cracked window is a good thing?

katiewhompus

JeLenny - Good for you for calling corporate! PetSmart has very strict policies regarding animals left in cars and they absolutely have to page the owner and specifically timed intervals with a script so that the animal is in the car no more than 6 minutes from moment of discovery. That's ridiculous that the MOD wouldn't page and wouldn't listen to you without standing in line.