I am so-o-o-o-o-o upset!!!!!

[Soapets]

:mad::mad: I have the afternoon off work, and when I got home a little boy who lives two houses down the street from me was outside playing with a little puppy. We've been seeing this little puppy from our house several times, so I decided I would walk down and ask if I could meet him, etc. Just then the boy's mother drove up into the driveway, and the little boy put the puppy in another car that was sitting on the street in front of their house. He went into their house, then came back out just as I was getting to their driveway. I asked him if I could see his puppy, and he said he had to go. So he got into the vehicle that his mom was driving, and they took off and left the little puppy in the car on the street! It's 100 degrees outside today! The windows were open, but I did NOT feel comfortable AT ALL with this situation, and I promptly called the Humane Society to report it. I went into my house to change out of my work clothes and into my hanging around the house clothes, and when I went back outside the mother's vehicle was back in the driveway. I called the Humane Society back and told them this, but said that I didn't know if the puppy was still in the car or not. They said there were officers on the way. So I went to the house and knocked on the door and asked for the mother when another kid, a girl, answered the door. The mother came to the door and I introduced myself to her, and talked with her briefly about my son, whom she knows. Then I asked if I could see the puppy. She said she'd get her 20-year-old daughter, Melissa, to come out and show it to me.

So Melissa came to the door and headed out to the car to get the puppy! I was with her as the Humane Society officers drove up and she got the puppy out of the vehicle for me. The officers saw her do this. They asked how long the puppy had been in the vehicle. I told them that I was the one who had called them because I was concerned when I saw the owner's little brother put the puppy in the car and then leave. Melissa told them that the puppy is being taken care of properly, and that she leaves him in the car when she's at her Mom's house because her Mom won't let the puppy inside. I heard her tell them that at night she "hangs out" with the puppy in the car. She said they don't sleep in the car, though.

While the Humane Society officers were talking with Melissa, I went back up to the door of the house and asked if the Mom could come out and speak with me. By that time I had informed Melissa that I was the one who had called the Humane Society, and I said I wanted to talk with her Mom about that, too, so that she would know what it was all about. Melissa's response was "Well, she doesn't know they're here, so you don't have to do that." I thought that was a strange comment, and said I thought I needed to let her Mom know what my involvement had been.

The Mom took awhile getting to the door, and by the time she did the Humane Society officers had left, after lecturing Melissa about leaving a pet in a vehicle, whether or not the windows were open. I told the Mom what had transpired, and what my role had been, and she said that they had been very concerned about the dog, and they had talked with Melissa about finding a new home for it because it couldn't be left in the car. She was glad that I had called the Humane Society, even though they had left without the puppy. I told her that I would do the same thing again if I saw the puppy left alone in the car again, and she said that would be fine.

Anyway, I left then to go run some errands, and I called the Humane Society back to tell them of my conversation with Melissa's mother, and to let them know that the dog WAS living in the car, and that Melissa's mother had said they had tried to get Melissa to try to find another home for it, but that she wouldn't listen to their advice, etc. When I got back home from running my errands there weren't any vehicles by that house and I thought maybe Melissa had driven away before the Humane Society had been back again.

I called the Humane Society a few more times after that to try to find out if they got the puppy away from that situation. I finally got the answer I was hoping for. They had gone back and had taken the puppy away from Melissa, and will now try to adopt him out to a responsible pet owner. I don't know if Melissa was fined or not, but she should have been! I know that Melissa's Mom should be very relieved. I just wish she would have called it in herself, as she knew what was going on all along................

[beeniesmom]

That's so sickening.
I had something similar happen to me the other day but it was in front of a grocery store.

It's like 100 degrees outside and as I am walking in the store I notice a small dog locked in a car, the windows are up and this poor creature is panting and his eyes are popping out of it's head. I walk in the store and assume that the people who are paying are the owners... I think to myself, these people are so stupid for leaving the dog in the hot car for 2 minutes..... I do my shopping, 15 minutes pass, I pay and on my way out notice the dog is still in the car!

I run back in the store and get the clerk and ask her how long the car has been parked there and she says why, about 20 minutes. I tell her that there is an animal in the car and she tells me that she noticed it but thought that the car was running with the air on. I tell her no. She immediately gets really pale and approaches this crappy red neck trailer trash couple and tells them that they should go check on thier dog. This piece of crap lady comes to the door, where I am standing and says, oh he's fine he's been there for 2 minutes.... I then pipe in, OH NO he hasn't and explain that I came in the store 15 minutes ago and he was there. I them start screaming at the TOP OF MY LUNGS, making a total scene that It's animal cruelty and that it's the equivalent of leaving an infant in a car alone, not to mention the car was probably 130 degrees by now. Then I start screaming that she should be arrested and if a cop were to see the dog she'd be taken away in cuffs and the dog taken away. She immediately started apologizing to ME.... I then started again saying that she shouldn't apologize to me but get her ass outside and get the dog out before I CALL the cops. Oh man, I can't believe people still do that. I swear, in the mood I was in, if the lady had said something, I would have gotten myself arrested for beating the tar out of her. UGH!!!

[caseysmom]

Sad for the 20 year old that she is homeless, too bad her mother won't give her a place to stay.

[Daisy and Delilah]

Hats off to both of you for being so quick in helping those poor animals!!! CONGRATULATIONS for a job well done!! I think some people need to be shot!!:( :mad: :(

[Soapets]

Sad for the 20 year old that she is homeless, too bad her mother won't give her a place to stay.

The Mom lets the 20-year-old stay in the house. It's the PUPPY that she won't allow into the house!

[caseysmom]

Oh that is horrible, I thought they were both homeless, yeah she had no business with that puppy for sure.

[K9karen]

I had a situation similar to Beeniesmom.

I parked next to a van at a CVS and heard whining. I peeked in the window and saw a wee Yorkie with it's tongue almost to the floor. It was soaring hot day, and the van had it's windows 1/2 open.
I stood there for a while, then went inside to try to find the owner. I called the cops. Two seconds later, after I ran back outside (btw, the car doors were locked and I couldn't stick my arm down far enough to unlock it) and the owner came out. I gave her holy he** and went out of my mind with fury. She calmly said the dog is fine, it's used to being in the car, she has water for it (she proceeded to give it a drink). I told her to stay there, I called the cops, but she sped off. I wished I had super powers to stop the car. It was the most awful thing I've seen in a long time and I just broke into tears.

Anyway, Soapets, thank you for taking action and saving a life.

[moosmom]

:mad:That's disgusting!!! You stand by your child no matter what. I hope the Humane Society seized the dog and get both women a strict reprimand. People like that don't deserve animals let along children. UGH!!!:mad:

Thank you for getting involved.

[Soapets]

I saw the neighbor lady (the Mom) leaving with four kids when I got home from work tonight---looked like they were going to a ball game or two, as two of the girls had softball uniforms on. The little boy who was playing with the puppy yesterday, whom I saw put the puppy into the car before leaving with his Mom yesterday, was one of the kids, too. Anyway, I walked toward them and raised my hand in greeting and asked the Mom if everything was OK--if everything had worked out OK. She smiled and said everything was perfect. I asked her if the younger kids understood the reason I had taken the steps I had, and she just smiled again and said everything was fine, good, perfect, cool. The kids didn't say anything to me, as they were already all in the vehicle. But I sensed that the Mom was very, very relieved by how things turned out. I feel like she appreciated my intervention.

I talked to the neighbor who lives in the house between my house and this other family's house, and told her what had happened. She said she had seen them put the puppy into the 20-year-old's car before, but always when the 20-year-old was leaving with him. But she was horrified at the thought of the puppy actually having to live out of the car. She was glad I had called the Humane Society, too.

I didn't see anything of Melissa or of her car today. She's probably the only one who is ticked off at me for turning her over to the Humane Society. Again, I don't know if she was fined or anything. I just know that the puppy is safe and in an air-conditioned building and receiving veterinary care and will soon be put up for adoption if he is as healthy as he looked, and will most likely find a loving furever home very soon!

[Alysser]

I am so glad you took the action you did in saving the puppy! It WILL only get hotter, I don't understand how people can leave a dog in the car on such a hot day. I am pretty sure she was fined, I know you get fined for that here. Glad the mom appreciates what you did too and I am sure the Pup does to! :D I hope he gets a great home! Will the Humane Society call you when he gets adopted?

[Lori Jordan]

I went through the same thing the other day,We were at Tim Hortons having a coffee out on the bikes,we were parked beside an SUV,Inside was an old chocolate lab.The 4 windows were open just a crack,My husband was the one that noticed the dog in the car.He said to the owners why don't you let the dog out for some fresh air it is too hot for the animal to be in a car on days like we have been having.Adventually the owners got in and drove away.It just makes me sick,I never take my dogs anywhere on hot days like we have been having UNLESS,they are able to get out of the car.Honestly though leaving your windows down does nothing on hot summer days.

I leave all my windows down when the car is sitting in the drivway and i can barely stand getting in the car to go somewhere.Some people have no brains when it comes to animals.thank god for someone like you got that poor pup out of a life of misery.

[MoonandBean]

Like I said in my original post on this: WHEN WILL PEOPLE LEARN??



Show dogs die in hot van in Missouri
By The Associated Press

ARNOLD, MO. — Seven high-priced show dogs, including one of the top Akitas in the country, are dead after being left by their handler for several hours in a hot van in Jefferson County.

Police say Mary Wild, 24, left the dogs in a cargo van early Monday and went to bed after returning from a dog show in Iowa.

“I’ve never seen such a horrific act in my lifetime,” said Dr. Laura Ivan, the veterinarian in House Springs whose office Wild brought the dogs to on Monday. Ivan is now caring for the lone surviving dog. “This was not intentional, but a horrible, tragic accident.”

The dogs likely died of heat stroke, Ivan said, although autopsies are pending.

Wild, who is paid to handle the dogs at shows, did not return repeated phone and e-mail messages from the Post-Dispatch requesting comment.

She told police that, after returning from her road trip about 1 a.m. Monday, she started to transfer the dogs into the garage of a home on Kroeck Drive in Arnold. But it was so hot she instead decided to leave them in their portable kennels in the van.

She told police she put six electric fans in the van to keep the dogs cool. She also left a door open to the van and the van’s windows partly open, said Capt. Ralph Brown of the Jefferson County sheriff’s office. The van was apparently parked in the driveway, Brown said.

She told police that, three hours later, she went outside to check on the dogs. They were fine, she said. Then, about 6:30 a.m., all eight dogs were in distress. She found five of the dogs breathing, but not responsive. The other three were clearly in distress, but could at least raise their heads.

She tried reviving the dogs, by hosing them down, then took them to Ivan’s office.

Monica Colvin of Lebanon, Ill., owner of the Akita, was still shaken Wednesday when she recounted how she learned about the death of her dog, Jersey. She was traveling to California and got a phone call late Monday afternoon from Wild.

“She did not give me the full story,” Colvin said. “She said she (Jersey) got hot and she’ll be okay.”

The next day, Jersey died. And only Wednesday did Colvin find out about the other dogs’ deaths.

“She should’ve gotten those dogs into a cool location, in her kitchen, her own bedroom, I don’t care where,” Colvin said.

In the first six months of this year, Jersey had won enough points at dog shows sanctioned by the American Kennel Club to be considered the top-ranked female Akita and the fourth-ranked Akita in the country, her owner said. Such purebred dogs are worth thousands, possibly tens of thousands of dollars, Ivan said.

Jefferson County Sheriff Glenn Boyer’s office and the county’s animal control division are investigating. Their report will be turned over to the county prosecutor.

Brown said Wild is a reputable dog handler. “This is a very sad case,” Brown said. “The lady probably thought, in her mind, heck it’s hot in the garage, and some of the dogs were probably already asleep.”

Brown cautioned others with dogs: “Take every precaution during this high heat and humidity. If at all possible, take them inside.”

James Taylor, the county’s animal control manager, said his investigation should be completed this week. The other dogs included three golden retrievers, a dalmatian and a Siberian husky.

[Soapets]

I called the Humane Society this afternoon to see how the puppy is doing, and they said he's doing fine. They also said they'd keep me informed as to if/when he gets adopted, etc.

I plan on going and visiting him on Saturday or Sunday. Today is only the second day there and they said they will keep him separate from the other animals, and not put him up for adoption, for at least three days---to make sure he's healthy and OK.

I also told the person I spoke with about this web site, and that several people are asking if he's OK, and if I'll be notified if/when he is adopted, etc. They thought that was pretty cool!