One more time: Pets and Hot Cars Don’t Mix
18 Apr
As I was leaving the pet expo this Saturday night, I heard a dog whimpering in a white mini van. Yes, the windows were cracked, but it was 80* that day. And when I say cracked, I mean about a 1/2 inch. I informed parking and they said they could do “nothing”. I called the local police department and wasn’t too certain they’d do anything either. I had to force the dispatcher to take the ;license number, which I still have along with a photo of the vehicle. There had already been a dust up in the parking lot earlier in the day, so I thought the wisest move was to let officials handle the violation of California Penal Code 597 . Ironically, the van had a Harvest Crusade bumper sticker in its back window. (“The righteous care for the needs of their animals…” from Psalms ring a bell?)
Now, the penal code is clear: Thou shalt not leave an animal in a car.
Legal folks have worked to further define that. Who hasn’t stopped by the dry cleaners to pick up cleaning on the way back from the vet? Clearly, the animal is within sight. The windows are down. And the owner will be returning momentarily. (Even this is scary for me after I passed out during a shopping errand. You really never know IF you’re making it back to your car. So keep that in mind when bringing your pet along for the ride.)
However, this animal was in a parked car. with the windows barely cracked. on a hot day. with no shade. and the only place to enter was the Pet Expo, not someplace you just run into.
I have written letters to the event venue and the PD asking them to review and make changes to how they respond to calls re: Penal code 597.
Do you take your pet with you? How would you have addressed this situation?
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