Dogs in cars - FYI

[MzLiz]

California driver's handbook to include pet-safety information
By Cynthia Hubert
chubert@sacbee.com
Published: Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010 - 11:48 am

California is to become the first state to add language about animal safety in its driver's manual.

The 2011 California Driver's Handbook will include a stipulation that it is against the law to leave dogs in hot cars, the state Department of Motor Vehicles says. If an animal is injured or dies because of unsafe conditions, owners could be fined up to $500 and be sentenced to six months in jail.

A recent Stanford University study found that even on seemingly mild days, an enclosed car's internal temperature can reach 116 degrees or higher. A dog can survive such temperatures for a short time before suffering nerve or brain damage, or death, reports Sacramento's United Animal Nations, which sponsors a "My Dog is Cool" campaign to educate pet owners.

For more about the dangers of leaving animals in hot cars, go to www.MyDogIsCool.com.



Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/08/26/2985126/california-drivers-handbook-to.html#ixzz0xkCX1f3H

[Paula N.]

They need to pass some laws here!  Those Good Ole Boys who ride around in pick-up trucks with dogs standing in the back - ugh.  The dogs may not die of the heat, but if one of them jumps over the side, tethered or not, there's going to be some bad injuries, not to mention death.

My car is not even set up for the Girls to get into it - too hot for now.  We don't even go to the Park and won't until probably late October or early November.  When one of them has to go to the vet, I make sure the appointment is early morning to take advantage of cooler temperatures. 

I probably shouldn't mention this, but even children, maybe especially children are at risk too.  One just died this past week after being in a closed up car.  Usually it's a person who forgets the kid is in the back seat.  But this time, the kid managed to get in, but couldn't figure how to get out.  So she died.  Unfortunately, this sort of thing happens with great regularity.  You sort of are reluctant to open the newspaper every day during summer. 

[BanaerEskies]

Sadly, laws or not, those good ol' boys are going to do what they are going to do.  sorry, as much as I hate dogs riding loose in the back of trucks or being left in hot cars, I am sick of our individual freedoms being trampled on by a society that wants everyone to do what others want them to do.  We already have animal cruelty laws on the books....those should suffice to punish any wrong doing in these other situations. 

If the laws we already have were properly enforced most of the problems we have would go away.  Rather than new laws, we need training and support for those that enforce them and education to help the public be more aware of them. 

Case in point, it cost my ex-hubby over $5,000 to defend himself on illegal weapons charges for a perfectly legal weapon seen by an officer that lacked knowledge to know that it was legal.  (and that was our first date folks!)

[DebbieA]

Sort of  unrelated but in the same vein of badly enforced laws... My former dog trainer had a client who had left her dog closed up in the car for a few minutes on a day where temperature was not an issue.  The windows were left open about 4" so the dog could get some air.  A woman came by and reached inside the car to pet the dog.  The dog bit her on the arm.

I don't know if it's a standard law or just in Indiana, but a bite below the waist is considered just a bite, but a bite above the waist is considered an attack, and the dog MUST be put down.  Because it was a bite on the arm, this person's dog was put down because someone was stupid enough to invade the private space of the dog owner and dog.