Dogs in cars - its started already

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MyBoyChe

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Just been to the local shopping centre, got back to my car to find a little Micra parked next to me with a small spangley x inside. The passenger window was open about 4" but the little dog was obviously v hot although not overly distressed. I was concerned enough though to stay next to her until her owner returned, just in case I needed to break in. Owner wasnt away long (20 mins at most) and was surprised to see me loitering near her car, I explained why without getting too cross (I hope) and she had the grace to lol sheepish, although how much good that did the dog Im not sure. Does this message never get through. Its about 18c at the moment so not massively hot but when I got back into my car at 11am it was unconfortably hot and the leather seats were too hot to sit on!
 
I am paranoid about this as my dogs come pretty much everywhere with me. However it was hot enough today to think that I would need to go home and drop the dogs off rather than pop into sainsburys on the way back.

I have been looking out for a thermostat to check the back of the car. While I always knew that dogs + car + hot day is a no no, I got quite a rude wake up call after watching a programme with the RSPCA showing just how much a car heated up and how quickly.
 
Mine was pretty hot 2 weeks ago - had to deposit dog for 5 minutes while I went to the loo - there wasn't a queue or anything (at a p2p on my own and the portaloos were small and my dog isn't) and he was quite warm when I got back! Definitely brought it home how careful I will need to be in summer. He was fine though.
 
I'm having to apply some brain power to this at the moment (and boy it huuuuurts!:p) as Hen has to stay in the car while I teach or assist before my own training class on a Saturday. Now shade is at a premium, but as it's on private land and invisible from the road, I can leave the windows and the boot lid open. At the moment I have a guard behind the front seats so Hen has the whole back seat - I'm thinking I'll get another guard for the boot, thus making a self-contained little caged area, try to get as much shade as possible, reverse in so the sun is at the front end, put one of those reflective shade things plus a blanket over the windscreen to block out the sun, then shades on the back windows, boot open (I have a three door hatchback) and front windows right down. That should stay pretty cool, right?:confused:
 
My elderly friend takes her dogs everywhere and shows and races them. The back of her estate car is one huge wired cage, she can padlock the cage, but she also has a clever steel bar that enables her to keep the tailgate open about half a meter, it hooks onto the door lock on the tailgate and the bumper, if you see what I mean... the door locks, lock the car securely, so the dogs have plenty of ventilation, yet no-one can steal them or get into the car. Obviously it still needs to be in the shade.
 
BigRed said:
My elderly friend takes her dogs everywhere and shows and races them. The back of her estate car is one huge wired cage, she can padlock the cage, but she also has a clever steel bar that enables her to keep the tailgate open about half a meter, it hooks onto the door lock on the tailgate and the bumper, if you see what I mean... the door locks, lock the car securely, so the dogs have plenty of ventilation, yet no-one can steal them or get into the car. Obviously it still needs to be in the shade.
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I have one of these, ventlock's they are called http://www.ventlock.com/ is the website.
On really hot days if i am out during the middle of the day i leave the dog at home in my garden with his kennel and secure large run. Most of the time he does come with me and he has a crate in the boot, park in the shade, windows down a couple of inches, sun shield in windscreen, sum blanket over roof of car just in case shade moves but have usually planned ahead for this, and a vent lock on the boot proping boot open but car safely locked so no one can steal it or the dog.
Car stays pretty cool and dog has access to good venitlation and water. If just bobbing out for half an hour will leave at home but mostly this arrangement is for the yard when i take him as we walk before hand, I ride and he sleeps and then i go and poo pick so he comes and runs round in the field like a loon with my friends dog. He loves doing so wouldnt like to leave him at home unless it is really hot.
 
Hmm cool - yeah I have already seen it's getting to warm for them to be left in the car. I usually take them with me to do Ed, walk them - then leave them in the car while I muck out etc.
However this will stop now - I don't have air-con on my car otherwise I'd leave the car running with it on for them. Sadly my little KA is very basic, so dogs in car is OUT til winter :)
 
should also say i make sure i ride either evenings after 7pm during the week with working anyway or early mornings at weekends before 8am rather than middle of the day during the summer so plently of shade available as sun not as high in the sky and temps have either not risen or are coming down.
 
I also have a large crate so can leave the tailgate open and jeeps have a nifty design so that the back window will open out but can lock the back door. Still looking for a thermostat though!
 
i think people arent realising just how warm the sun is getting. i let the dog out this morning and thought 'blimey, bit chilly' but when i sat on the sofa with the sun on my back i got uncomfortably warm almost straight away. shes now curled up in the tinyest slit of sunlight possible, Idiot!

People still do it though, even in the heat. they wont learn until they lose a dog, and its a terrible way to die.
 
I think if i found a dog in distress i would put the window through without a second thought :cool: Of course i see from the above that there are very considerate owners on here that take the utmost care to make sure theyre animals are well ventilated.

if someone goes somewhere and does not have the equipement or common sense to keep them cool, then should leave them at home, id rather have a slightly ripped up house than a dead doggie :(
 
Hebe said:
I think if i found a dog in distress i would put the window through without a second thought :cool: Of course i see from the above that there are very considerate owners on here that take the utmost care to make sure theyre animals are well ventilated.

if someone goes somewhere and does not have the equipement or common sense to keep them cool, then should leave them at home, id rather have a slightly ripped up house than a dead doggie :(
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its all well and good saying that, but you have to take all possibilities into account. For example the dog could be massively aggressive, or just a bit nutty.

I had a rspca volunteer trying to untie my dog when i was nipping into a shop to buy a bottle of water for her after half of our walk. i could see her clearly through the shop door and she had been there less than a minute (i literally grabbed the water and was stood in a queue of two people) when the lady came along, tutted and said to someone walking past, 'i hate cruel owners who do this to their dogs' and began unlooping her lead. i obviously stormed out and asked her what the hell she thought she was doing and that if she thought there was an issue she should have at least called into the shop first instead of basically stealing my dog.
the lady said the dog was distressed, she wasnt, she was looking at me whining because she wanted the rest of her walk, she was in the shade and wasnt even panting. i was really cross, i understand being a doogooder but you do need to think with your head and not just ''put a window'' in.
 
Spudlet when I teach if it's too warm for the boys to be in the truck, I tie them on long lines to the outside of it with their bed on the ground and a bucket of water in reach next to the arena.

Is this an option where you are? i.e would he be in sight and not likely to howl :)
 
Unfortunately it would be hard for me to keep an eye on him - I think he'd either make good his escape or sit and squeal like a piglet at being left out of all the fun:o It's an idea I have considered though - also maybe even taking his crate and parking that in the shade instead;)

That Ventcool site does little battery fans that clip onto dog-guards - they are out of stock at the moment:mad: but think I'll invest in one when they get some more in:) I've also spoken to my mate, a security guard who does very long shifts in a van, about how she keeps the van cool when they get a break for a kip. Basically, it involves a cheap kingsize sheet and a lot of wrapping of the car - will be popping into Tescos this evening to see what they can offer:)
 
I have a white van with cages in it for my dogs, I could leave them inside it with the van doors opened and the fans running..but I wouldn't. No matter what provision you make a car/van is not the place to leave a dog under any circumstances. If you cannot have your dogs with you then leave them at home, I just don't understand why you'd leave an animal in a fur coat locked in a tin box? Would anyone leave a baby inside a car? (And before anyone says yes I know there are idiots that do that too!!)
 
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