Would you break into someone's hot car for a dog?

[cynatnite]

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Saw this on FB and I wondered if I would. They got into someone's car and took the dog. They did leave a note on where the dog was.

Honestly, I'm not sure if I would do this. I just don't know.

What would you do?

39 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Yes
	30 (77%)
	No
	7 (18%)
	I don't know
	2 (5%)
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[Flashmann]

1. Would you break into someone's hot car for a dog?

Absolutely, with no hesitation...

[Ohio Joe]

2. No

Just call the police, they can handle it.

[Cooley Hurd]

9. What if the cops don't show for a while?

I'd break the damn window, frankly, because it really doesn't take long for a dog to die in a roasting car.

[Ohio Joe]

15. If it appeared that urgent...

Yes, I would break a window but I suspect calling 911 and perhaps notifying whatever place the car is at would suffice.

[Mosby]

50. It happens a lot in the Phoenix area

Usually with seasonal or new residents.

Generally its the Fire Dept that breaks into the vehicle and rescues the pet.

Invariably the person will say "but I left the window cracked".

[krispos42]

72. In my town, no.

Fast police response times. Call 911, then document the scene while waiting for the cops to show up.

If it took longer than 5 minutes I'd be kinda surprised.

[Wait Wut]

3. No.

I'd call 911. While I was waiting, I'd try to track down the owner. If the car is in a dedicated lot, I'd tell an employee that such-and-such car was just hit in the lot.

[graham4anything]

4. If I see something suspicious I would report it and do.

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. Caveat: I would not break a window. If the door was unlocked, I would try to help the animal.

Just as I would with a child.

[mattclearing]

35. Question

Why not break the window? Is the inanimate window more important than the dog's life? Is it the violation of the law and the dog's owner, who has also broken the law in this scenario?

[ScreamingMeemie]

38. Because the application of laws is this country is currently ass-backwards.

In that event, instead of breaking the glass, I would call 9-1-1 and wait for the cops. If it appeared the dog were beginning to really suffer, I'd re-examine my approach.

[SoCalNative]

85. If it appeared the dog were beginning to really suffer

it would be too late for you to do anything to help it.

[ScreamingMeemie]

87. .

Until the laws in this country change and I wouldn't be penalized for destruction of property, I'm just not going to break a window. It is the best I can do...which is better than what most would do.

[dorkzilla]

91. I understand entirely

I'm not saying my response is better, it is just how I respond. And to be fair, I'm pretty involved in local animal rescue so this kind of behaviour tends to be knee jerk to me. I have friends who will call me and say "I need you to get down here STAT, there is a dog in a car..." and I tell them to call the cops and I'll be there shortly." In every case, the owner came before I or the cops did, and they got a lecture.

Edited to add - due to a giant brain fart, I actually responded to your reply in error! You were probably reading the above thinking "wtf is this woman talking about?"

[ScreamingMeemie]

92. ahahaha... I do that all the time.

[mattclearing]

110. I think that's fair, and probably what I would do as well.

There's definitely a point in this scenario where the window gets smashed if that's what it takes.

[Auggie]

6. I'd call county animal control

[LuvNewcastle]

14. Me too. It's their job to handle that sort of thing and

I'm not going to harm someone else's property unless there's a dire emergency. If the car is on fire and a pet is inside, that's a different situation. I would think that the owner would be grateful if someone intervened in that case.

[Auggie]

21. I urge everyone to add their County Animal Control # into their cell phone

Makes it so much easier to respond to these emergencies.

[DevonRex]

65. I'd call animal control and/or the police. Ask what to do if I thought

they might not get there in time.

[badtoworse]

7. It would depend on the dog

A friendly hound, probably; a snarling rotweiler, probably not.

[Quantess]

8. Maybe.

If it was hot out and the door was unlocked, sure. I would not smash anybody's window, but I would call police.

[NYC_SKP]

10. Under some circumstances, yes. Under others, no.

And I would likely call authorities before taking such action, and then take the action only as a last resort.

[hunter]

11. Yes, if the police couldn't come out right away for some reason.

Our police and animal control people are pretty quick about that.

[rl6214]

12. No, I would call the authorities

Enforcement is their job, not mine.

[Egalitarian Thug]

13. I would & have.

One of the very few good things about AZ is that this is legally protected. With summertime temps reaching or exceeding 110 degrees for months at a time, an animal locked in a car can suffer horribly and die in minutes.

[dorkzilla]

20. Same here...

I called the cops first, they didn't come, the dog visibly suffering, so I made the choice to save the dog's life. I couldn't keep the dog at my house at the time, so I brought it to the SPCA. The cops arrived the same time as the owner, told the jerk what happened, and I got a message of thanks from the jerk via the cops. I think the jerk got his dog back.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

[darkangel218]

31. lmao!! the jerk will know better next time

Hopefully!!!

[dorkzilla]

39. I hope so!

I'm a complete asshole when it comes to this...I've actually followed people into stores and shamed them into going back to their cars and taking the dog home. In one case, I sat on the hood of the car to watch a car for a woman who I made go back and turn the a/c on for the little pooch (she said something about a sick kid so...). I have absolutely NO problem smashing a window, especially as it takes MINUTES for the car to heat up enough for the poor dog to have a stroke. I do call the cops first.

I was thinking this summer I should make up a little sign telling people how quickly stroke and/or death can occur when you are wearing a fur coat in a closed car, then stick them under the windshields of everyone parked at the dog park. Yes, I am THAT much of an aggressive bitch when it comes to animals. I only look sweet

[truebluegreen]

54. Good on ya.

I've paid people $20 to get their dogs off the pavement when they are wandering around art fairs and such on hot summer days...edited to add: although I prefer shaming them.

[dorkzilla]

61. Good for you!!!

I can't believe how thoughtless people are. I have my valet key in case I need to lock the door of my car with the a/c on, but I've never used it for that purpose. I take my two furbabies home first, then I'll go do what I need to. The key is there just in case of emergency.

I also harras people at art fairs and flea markets for the following stupidity; mother and father walking around with hats and sunglasses, pushing a lilly-white baby in a stroller but the poor little thing has NO hat, no sun visor over them, sitting half naked wearing only a diaper "so they won't get hot", and very obviously developing a burn. FFS people USE YOUR HEADS! I had skin cancer aged 19 because of a sunburn I got at the age of 3 because of a thoughtless/distracted mother.

Okay sorry, rant over!

[Egalitarian Thug]

82. Good for you. My guy tried to sue me for his window, never even got to court. n/t

[dorkzilla]

94. I'm kinda shocked the jerk didn't try and sue me...

but i know when said jerk picked the dog up the SPCA volunteer was pretty confrontational and said "you DO know that woman saved your dog's life, don't you? One minute more and he would have been having seizures" so I think between the cops and the shelter the jerk was pretty shamed.

And even with the threat of legal action, I'd still do it again without a second thought. Dogs are way nicer than most people, and they don't have opposable thumbs so I do what I can for them...open cans of food, "opening" doors...and belly scratches.

[Iggo]

16. Nope. I'd call the cops.

[TygrBright]

17. Life trumps property. n/t

[Ian David]

18. Yes, but only if I'd called the police first and cleared it with them in advance.

Same thing goes for a small child.

I don't want to break into someone's car and THEN call the police.

I want to call the police, explain it to them, and then ask, "Should I break into this dude's car?"

In the case of a child, I might break in even if the cops say not to, if the child is in obvious distress.

[sarisataka]

19. No but

it would be a shame if I tripped and the hammer I was carrying happened to hit a window

[DainBramaged]

22. I have and I'd do it again

one of the reasons I carry a 'safety hammer' in my car. When it's 75 outside its 112 inside the car if left in the sun. As the temperature goes up to 90 it could be upwards of 140 inside the car.


NO DOG likes the heat, an owner that tells you that doesn't deserve to own a dog.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

23. I would call the cops first

If I could clearly see the dog was in instant danger, I'd smash the fucking window.

[Tanuki]

24. "Would you break into someone's car for a hot dog?"

That's what I thought you wrote, as first glance!

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

25. Me too...

I'm such an idiot. Must be one helluva fine hot dog!

[MindPilot]

49. I'm so glad is was not just me! n/t

[onpatrol98]

80. You're not alone...

I was thinking...for a hot dog? That's got to be hungry.

[Politicalboi]

70. Some cops will ask for your hot dog

What do you guys want?

[Warren DeMontague]

73. Totally. That, and "Hot Dog Car"

[Shrek]

81. +1

Glad I'm not alone.

[cherokeeprogressive]

95. Only if it was a Nathan's. n/t

[AndyA]

26. I would not break into a car because that's illegal.

I would call the police or the fire department or whoever could get there quickest and attempt to find the owner ASAP to get the dog out of the heat, and get it some water.

People who would leave a dog in a hot car, or leave it outside in the winter on cold nights, allow a dog or a cat to run free through the neighborhood and risk getting hit by a car shouldn't have pets.

[cui bono]

47. It may not be illegal. In some states it's legal to save an animal.

I remember hearing it's legal here in SoCal. Upthread someone said it's legal in AZ.

I would do it in a heartbeat.

[AndyA]

78. I think it's good that some states allow that.

I think they all should. It would be my luck if I did it, I would be in a state that didn't, and I'd get in trouble.

[cui bono]

84. And you would think most pet owners would appreciate it!

Trying to find laws on it I saw a news story where the cops asked the woman whose car it was if she wanted to press charges and she said no, she wanted to thank the person who smashed the window to save her dog. The judge didn't charge the woman with animal abuse if she would go take an animal safety class.

[darkangel218]

27. I would get the dog out ASAP

No question about that!!!

[justiceischeap]

28. Depends on how stressed the dog was

and how I'd go about getting in the car. I don't know that I'd damage property because I could see that coming back and biting me in the ass big time (even though I was attempting to do the right thing).

[onehandle]

29. Call the cops unless the dog is in imminent danger. nt

[hamsterjill]

30. I would first try the proper course of action, but...

I would first call the police and animal control, but in our area, they will not respond to animal calls quickly. The police are simply overwhelmed with human murders, etc., and we don't have enough police officers. It's a sad fact.

I'd first make these calls so that there would be a record of my having called, but I would break the window if the response time was beyond what I thought was going to be catastrophic for the animal. I'd hope that I was cognizant enough to take pictures of the animal in the car so that I'd have some proof as to why I was breaking the window.

Then, if the owner happened to show up, I don't know that I could be responsible for what I might do to him/her. Leaving a pet in a hot car is simply cruel.

[closeupready]

32. No, but I would for a hot dog.

Hope that's not too tacky, but it is a hypothetical question, so ...

I answered I don't know - if it was REALLY hot, I'd struggle with not doing that. Probably wouldn't be able to sleep at night.

[MadrasT]

33. I would prefer to contact the police or the SPCA

But if the dog was in bad shape and time was of the essence, yes, I would. No question.

[Arkansas Granny]

34. Not unless the dog appeared to be suffering due to the heat, but I would definitely call

Animal Control and wait until they got there to rescue the dog.

[Poll_Blind]

36. I don't know but I might. Depends on what the scene was. nt

PB

[liberal N proud]

37. Call the police, let them decide what to do

[kudzu22]

40. Breaking into a car is still a crime

Dog or no dog. I might try to set off their car alarm, wait for them to show up and then give them a lecture on leaving dogs in cars.

[cui bono]

48. Not true. There are places where it is legal to break a window to save an animal. n/t

[datasuspect]

52. which places?

where are they?

[cui bono]

58. Someone upthread said it's legal in AZ. And I remember hearing it's legal here in SoCal

but I'd have to look it up to be sure. I certainly filed it away in my mind as something it's okay for me to do if I need to, so I know I heard it or read it.

[sorefeet]

41. Sure, I would break a window in

a heartbeat. I go through this shit every summer.

[NightWatcher]

42. I almost smashed a window to give a dog fresh air

The owner came out just as I was retrieving my baton from my car.

The poor dog was so hot and thirsty.

[rrneck]

43. Depends on the situation. nt

[Jamaal510]

44. That is none of my business.

I'm not about to risk getting sued or put in jail for damaging and breaking into somebody else's car over a dog. I already have plenty of problems.

[ZombieHorde]

45. Most likely not. The dog would have to be in distress for me to consider it.

The most likely scenario would be someone just ran into a store for some water or smokes on the way to the park or mountain. If the dog can't survive that, then it was fucked to begin with.

[hfojvt]

46. in general no, I would leave well enough alone

In general most dogs are gonna get riled up if you mess with the car they are in. Hmm, the more riled up they get, the hotter they will get.

My experience has mostly been on the other side of this.

The first experience was of my parents. On a family vacation when they came out of a mall or some shopping center there was a note on their car. Said something like "you are so cruel to keep a dog in a hot car like this. I tried to get him out."

Well, isn't that special.

In the end, the dog was perfectly fine, if perhaps a little bit hot, but my parents got to read some hateful, judgmental note from a self-righteous busybody. Imagine if that same fool thought they were justified smashing a window and stealing a dog. Imagine instead, if my parents got hassled by the cops for no reason.

Fast forward 15 years and now I continually get harrassed, now by animal control, for leaving my dogs in my car. Even on cool spring days, or winter days, when my dogs are in ZERO danger from the heat.

It seems that some busybody control freaks are so concerned about the safety and well-being of dogs, that they want to take away one of the dog's biggest joys in life - going on a car ride. Sure that makes perfect sense - take a whole bunch of happiness from the lives of millions of dogs in order to save a few thousand.

[datasuspect]

51. there isn't much i WOULDN'T do for a hot dog

especially with grilled onions, yellow mustard, and a sport pepper like jim's original in chicago.

[truebluegreen]

53. I not only would, I have. nt

[Warpy]

55. I'd call the cops and if they weren't there within minutes

and the poor dog was in distress, you bet I'd be looking for a big enough rock.

However, I'd prefer the police take care of it to relieve me of any legal problems and to cite the owner on the spot for animal cruelty.

[PeaceNikki]

56. I read this as "Would you break into someone's car for a hot dog?"

I was like.....

[MannyGoldstein]

57. I'd call a cop to do it, then

hang out until the cop came - if the dog was in distress, I'd break in myself.

[quinnox]

60. No. I have seen it many times where a dog is left in the car with a window partly open in the Summer

It is not that uncommon. I think the person who did that was most likely a PETA type extremist, and they could have been arrested if someone had seen them doing that. Frankly, its none of their (or my) business.

[AngryAmish]

62. I might break into a car for a hot dog.

I like hot dogs.

on edit: I think I like tacos more than hot dogs.

[Puzzledtraveller]

67. A filet mignon, lobster tail and baked potato left unattended in a hot car

[MNBrewer]

86. I read hot dog at first too.

I prefer bratwursts, myself.

[MindPilot]

63. Depends on where it happens

If it is at a mall or big box store, I think I would hand it off to their security. If it was just me, and the animal was clearly in distress, I would call 911, tell them the problem, that I am off to find whoever has the keys to that car.

The decision to actually get into the car is a tough one because although you may think you're a lifesaving hero, to an already really upset animal, you are an intruder to be dispatched ASAP, because she has this heat thing to deal with right now.

[gopiscrap]

64. If I had reasonable assurance that animal control or the cops would be there

fairly quickly...if not then I would break in so the animal wouldn't suffer

[Puzzledtraveller]

66. Would you break into someones hot car for a hot dog?

[Cleita]

68. I have in the past, or rather, I informed a store owner that a car parked outside

his business had a panting, hot dog locked in it. He called 911 and then went out and picked the lock on the car. We got the dog out and watered. The police came and took the dog and impounded the car. They waited for the owner, a woman, to come out of a saloon a few doors down and arrested her for animal abuse and being drunk and disorderly. The dog was taken away from the owner by court order and was eventually adopted by a good family. This had a happy ending, for the dog anyway, but I don't think all stories like this do.

[Cali_Democrat]

69. In a situation like that, it's best to call the police or animal services. n/t

[Inkfreak]

71. I don't know. It'd depend on situation.

I would most certainly not ignore it. Most likely alert someone in authority. Who knows what could come from just busting open the car. Seems a bit dangerous. Temperament of the dog. Or the owner. People are sometimes nutty, ya know?

[Rex]

74. Of course I would, I would do it for any living animal

dying from heat exposure in a vehicle.

[jimlup]

75. I answered "I don't know"

But I hope I would.

Recently there was an event in the Colorado mountains when a German Shepard was deserted on the route up a peak which I have climbed. My fellow climbers formed a group and rescued the Shepard. I would have liked to have been a part of that rescue mission. I sincerely hope that if I were to see this I would do what was needed to rescue the dog.

[magical thyme]

76. as a last resort, absolutely. I wouldn't leave any animal to die in a hot car

any more than I would leave a child.

Obviously first call authorities and stay until they or the owner arrives. But if the critter in the car appears in serious distress, then I wouldn't hesitate.

[Marrah_G]

77. I would call the police

I just can't afford to be arrested.

[LeftNeckChick]

79. I report it to the manager of the store/place I am..

And, if they won't do something about it, I call the cops.

I'm from Florida, and a car can get well over 120 degrees in less than an hour. It's against the law to leave animals unattended in a car.

And, if the cops don't show up, I'd break into the car in a heart beat.

But, then, I'm a sappy-liberal-animal lover.

[loli phabay]

83. call the cops, ive seen well meaning people call when the animal is fine

Animal control know how to deal with it. Even had someone complain that my buddies dog was in distress even though the vehicle was running with ac on, off course the dog is agitated when someone he does not know is up against his vehicle.

[Tien1985]

88. Last resort, but yes.

That would be a horrible way to die. Although it seems everybody rushes to break the window... I just hope they try opening the door or trunk first.

[Mr. X]

89. I'd just walk by.

A friend of mine tried helping once. Know what happens to him?

He breaks into the car and the dog greets him with teeth.

My friend ends up having to get stitches.

Nothing happens to the owner. My friend took it to court hoping to get money to cover the medical expenses, but he lost.

I'd feel a bit bad for walking by - Who wouldn't? - but I'm not going to risk myself to save a dog that I know nothing about.

[Ruby the Liberal]

90. In a heartbeat. In fact,

I might have to take out a few windows just to make sure I can get the little guy out.

[tabasco]

93. Fuckinay I would. n/t

[politicat]

96. If I'm in my home county, no, because our cops have excellent response times.

Three minutes in most places in the county. If three minutes are that critical, I was too late anyway.

But my plan for that event (I've had to call a couple times) is to call cops, then send someone else to notify the store management regarding an accident for plate NNN-NNN and wait. If it's a mall or some other place where it's not clear where the human would be, I just call the cops.

[LeftInTX]

97. If I did, I would not leave a note!

Personally, I wouldn't break into a car because I'm afraid I'd be sued etc.
I would try to get help.

[NCTraveler]

98. I put no. I would call the police. Have them show up.

I would monitor the dog. If it appeared to be going down fast, I then might intervene. I would ask someone to video tape, or tape it myself, it if I had to enter the car.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

99. Have...

got sued (not jailed luckily), was worth it!

[dionysus]

100. i read that as "would you break into someone's car for a hot dog"

and was about to respond "sure, if I was starving to death"

[Locrian]

101. so did I .... hot dog.... yummmm....

[1-Old-Man]

111. If it had Chili, cheese, and onions on it nothing could stop me

Oh, and Pork, not Beef.

[Walk away]

102. For those of you inclined to wait for the police...check out these temps

http://waldenhumane.org/article_read.php?AID=11

[ProdigalJunkMail]

103. these temps assume a mostly sunny day

on a cloudy evening where the temp is 85F outside... it will NOT climb higher in the car with the windows left open a little...

sP

[Walk away]

106. Of course. But sometimes the sun comes out when you don't expect it.

You can park your dog on a rainy day and while you are inside and busy the sun can come out. It only takes 10 minutes to kill a little dog in the most horrible way.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

107. well, kind of hard for the sun to come out in the evening which is what I was talking about

and I totally agree with the afternoon thunderstorm/shower premise you post. however, the main point for me is the busy-bodies who get pissy ANYTIME an animal is left in a car. case in point : eating dinner out with my family last fall, at 7:50PM (the sun was touching the horizon) with a temp of 75F our dog was left to her nap in my car. She was asleep on the front seat when some woman came ranting into the restaurant demanding to know who had left that poor angel of a dog in the 'hot' car. I told her it was my dog and asked her what her idea of 'hot' was... and of course her answer was, "If you don't love the dog I will gladly take him off your hands." Some people just are so anxious to be do-gooders that they turn into pricks.

sP

[PFunk]

104. Yes.

But, if possibke I'll call the cops (and maybe the fire department) first and let them do the actual unlocking. Hopefully they'll get their before I have to take action myself.

[Arctic Dave]

105. Like this?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o9hYCFkDY4o/UQ--Lo4Zx2I/AAAAAAAABKY/V_UOINfITSA/s1600/Audi+R8+(1).jpeg




I would say yes. Especially if there is a beer in there too.

[Apophis]

108. Yes.

[jwirr]

109. I voted no because I would have called the authorities.