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by Mindhunt on 07 July 2013 - 22:07
Unbelievable today when we stopped to eat at Carrabbas. This poor sweet dog was in the bed of the pick up truck for over 2 hours in 89 degree heat with 78% humidity (even if it was parked in the shade) while the owner(s) sat in an air conditioned restaurant. Patrons (me included) went out numerous times to give the poor dog water. I called County Animal Control only to find out they are closed on the weekend, so I was routed to police dispatch. The dispatcher told me she would "absolutely not send a animal control officer for such an obvious non-emergency". I pointed out that according to county animal ordinance, the dog was in the bed of a pickup unrestrained and in extreme heat/humidity. She said that it was not illegal and she is not going to send an officer for this dog and that was final. I said to check the county ordinances since it was illegal and the owner of the dog was in violation, she said "good bye" and hung up. The manager of Carrabbas said she was "not allowed to do anything as it was against company policy", she couldn't explain what policy. My group and a few of the other patrons complained but nothing was done, I for one will be sending a letter to the company because if this behavior is tolerated, what else will be?
The dog was very sweet but extremely thin, I could see the bones under its fur, overly long toenails and rear dewclaws almost curled back upon itself. NO water bowl in the bed, nothing for it to lay on except the hot metal and we all know how the bed has ridges.
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The dog was very sweet but extremely thin, I could see the bones under its fur, overly long toenails and rear dewclaws almost curled back upon itself. NO water bowl in the bed, nothing for it to lay on except the hot metal and we all know how the bed has ridges.
Sec. 2-4-8: Humane Treatment of Animals
5. The animal is not outside during a period of extreme weather, including without limitation, extreme heat or near-freezing temperatures, thunderstorms, tornadoes, tropical storms or hurricanes.
Sec. 2-4-14: Animals in Vehicles
D. Any animal in the open bed of a pickup truck or other vehicle from which the animal can easily escape, shall be confined inside a secured animal carrier or restrained by a minimum of two (2) tethers, each affixed to opposite sides of the truck or other vehicle and both attached to the collar or harness of the animal. It is a violation of this Ordinance for the owner or custodian of an animal or the driver of a pick-up truck or other vehicle to refuse or fail to confine or restrain the animal as required by this Section.
by melba on 07 July 2013 - 22:07
Since you also have the license plate in your photo, could you not send this in to the Sheriffs office and animal control, even after the fact? You have evidence right there?
FL is the last place I would tolerate that... shame on the owners and shame on the establishment for allowing it.
<shakes head>
Melissa
FL is the last place I would tolerate that... shame on the owners and shame on the establishment for allowing it.
<shakes head>
Melissa
by hexe on 07 July 2013 - 23:07
Not that I condone this situation, but at least with the dog unrestrained and in an open truck bed, there was nothing to stop him from leaving the truck and seeking a shady place to lay if he became uncomfortable. I can think of a couple of dogs in MI several years ago that didn't have that option, and suffered the worst of outcomes because of it.
I'm guessing the policy the restaurant management referred to is to refrain from 'harassing' their customers for anything like this; just like the management won't 'harass' a customer who is abusive to their child while dining at the restaurant: It's bad for business. The servers are typically told to stay out of it as well.
I'm guessing the policy the restaurant management referred to is to refrain from 'harassing' their customers for anything like this; just like the management won't 'harass' a customer who is abusive to their child while dining at the restaurant: It's bad for business. The servers are typically told to stay out of it as well.
by Mindhunt on 08 July 2013 - 00:07
Melba, I am going to see what I can do, it broke my heart and the dog was such a sweetie. I have seen so many dogs left in cars the last couple of weeks and it has been hot here, it seems like the heat is baking what is left of the brains of some of these owners.
Hexe, I used to live in Michigan and there was a "trainer" (I use the term very loosely) who used to leave his dogs in metal crates with metal pans in the bed of his black pickup truck in a parking lot without shade or water in the afternoon sun during hot Michigan summer. He would do the same in the freezing cold winter as well. He's a real a**hole.
Hexe, I used to live in Michigan and there was a "trainer" (I use the term very loosely) who used to leave his dogs in metal crates with metal pans in the bed of his black pickup truck in a parking lot without shade or water in the afternoon sun during hot Michigan summer. He would do the same in the freezing cold winter as well. He's a real a**hole.
by hexe on 08 July 2013 - 01:07
The thing is, there ARE ways to keep dogs cool in a vehicle in the summer...the owner just has to put effort into doing it. When the club I belonged to held training on Sundays in the summer months, we had those reflective tarps covering the vehicles and blocking the sunlight from heating the interior up, along with the reflective shades for the windshields and windows; battery-powered fans kept the air circulating, and we'd the doors of the SUVs or pickup trucks completely open. The dogs were able to rest in their crates on cooling mats, and each dog had a pail of water right in the crate, secured so they couldn't tip it over. We always stayed within sight of the vehicles, too, and nobody would be crazy enough to walk up to a group of fully opened vehicles and open up crates with GSDs and Malinois inside. We never had a single episode of a dog experiencing heat stroke or heat stress during those training sessions--but everyone was extremely careful about making sure their dogs were safe and comfortable...and if it was oppressively hot, we simply didn't train that weekend.
by Mindhunt on 08 July 2013 - 01:07
I just noticed that I did get the plate in the above picture. It didn't look as clear on my iPhone. I did take a clear shot of the plate and truck for Animal Control, but I am not expecting too much since it will be after the fact. AC has been getting so many calls on animal cruelty cases such as the man who strangled his family puppy and tried to serve it up for dinner, another beat his boss' dog to death over a 10 minute period, and so on. We only have 2 on staff for the entire county. The above dog appeared reasonably clean although very thin, good teeth and no mats in its fur, clear eyes and healthy dog smell. I am just hoping the owners need education and didn't intend to be cruel, just were clueless as to their dog's comfort and safety.
Hexe, I remember those hot training days and ran my car's AC for my dogs or used cooling mats, or warming mats in the winter. It gets so oppressively hot here in Florida that I stop taking my dogs out much other than potty or a very short walk. My dogs get overheated far to easily here, they were raised in Michigan and trained/played outside in all kinds of weather. They have only been down here a couple of years so I try to take them to the intercoastal to swim for exercise if it is not too busy and filled with off leash dogs.
Hexe, I remember those hot training days and ran my car's AC for my dogs or used cooling mats, or warming mats in the winter. It gets so oppressively hot here in Florida that I stop taking my dogs out much other than potty or a very short walk. My dogs get overheated far to easily here, they were raised in Michigan and trained/played outside in all kinds of weather. They have only been down here a couple of years so I try to take them to the intercoastal to swim for exercise if it is not too busy and filled with off leash dogs.
by hexe on 08 July 2013 - 01:07
Mindhunt, I'm absolutely aghast at the episodes of abuse you mentioned that your local AC has had to contend with recently; I cannot even begin to imagine what kind of psychological short-circuiting would allow a person to do such things....and I don't want to try. <shudder> I think the owner of the Pyr does deserve credit for not shaving the dog under the mistaken impression that it would make the dog more comfortable...
by Slamdunc on 08 July 2013 - 01:07
We have a similar city ordinance requiring dogs to be securely restrained in the bed of a pick up truck. It is one of my pet peeves when I see a truck going down the road with an unsecured dog in the bed. The city I work in is rather large and has an abundance of rural / farming land and a fair share of urban / suburban / inner city areas. I pull over every MORON that I see driving with their dogs unsecured in the back of a truck. I often get "he's been riding like that for years! He won't go anywhere!" Or the red neck that replies "I did not think there was anything wrong with it". I make the dolt's place the dog inside their truck or be summonsed. Then I explain that if some one rear ended them the dog would be ejected from the back of the truck and probably killed in traffic, if not dead or severely injured from being ejected. I ask what would happen if they had to stop short to avoid an accident. If they acknowledge what a bad idea it is and then properly secure the dog, I only give a warning. If I feel the warning is not sufficient to stop this in the future, or I'm not getting through to them then they get a summons.
For those reading this that allow their dogs to ride unsecured in the back of your pick ups; please STOP! It is very dangerous! I have responded to accident calls where dogs have been thrown from vehicles or even jumped from vehicles at 40, 50 and 60 mph.
It is almost as bad to allow your dog to ride in your car with it's head out the window while you drive. If you do not think the possibility for eye injuries exists, get on a motorcycle with no sun glasses, helmet or eye protection and go for a ride at 40 or 50 mph or faster. I dare you to do it for any extended period of time. I find the people that let their dogs ride with their heads out the window to be totally clueless as well. Funny how I never see parents letting their kids ride in a car with their heads out the window, but will let the dogs do it...............
For those reading this that allow their dogs to ride unsecured in the back of your pick ups; please STOP! It is very dangerous! I have responded to accident calls where dogs have been thrown from vehicles or even jumped from vehicles at 40, 50 and 60 mph.
It is almost as bad to allow your dog to ride in your car with it's head out the window while you drive. If you do not think the possibility for eye injuries exists, get on a motorcycle with no sun glasses, helmet or eye protection and go for a ride at 40 or 50 mph or faster. I dare you to do it for any extended period of time. I find the people that let their dogs ride with their heads out the window to be totally clueless as well. Funny how I never see parents letting their kids ride in a car with their heads out the window, but will let the dogs do it...............
by Mindhunt on 08 July 2013 - 01:07
The cruelty seems especially bad this year and I am not sure why. I am amazed at the malicious nature of some of the cruelty.
Yes we have our fair share of clueless owners who believe shaving their dogs makes them cooler. Some shave them right to the skin leaving less than 1/8 th inch of fur and wonder why their dog is over heating and getting skin infections. My mom's groomer tries to educate people and will not shave dogs shorter than 1" so she loses customers, they just can't seem to wrap their heads around it.
The Pyr seemed reasonably taken care of and has a sweet temperament. I am guessing the owner(s) are just not well educated in dog care and are unaware of how quickly a dog can over heat or that laying in the ridged bed of a pickup is not very comfortable.
Slamdunc, you are my hero for enforcing it. I wish they would enforce the ordinance down here. My vet friend does her share of patch ups on dogs that ended up outside the pickup truck bed for various reasons. The excuses are amazing such as "what do you mean it ain't safe? it is cuz my kids ride back there all the time" (illegal to have people in back too but it is done ALL the time down here, the kids riding in back make me shudder). Many times the dogs/kids in the beds drive right past PD sitting in the car.
Yes we have our fair share of clueless owners who believe shaving their dogs makes them cooler. Some shave them right to the skin leaving less than 1/8 th inch of fur and wonder why their dog is over heating and getting skin infections. My mom's groomer tries to educate people and will not shave dogs shorter than 1" so she loses customers, they just can't seem to wrap their heads around it.
The Pyr seemed reasonably taken care of and has a sweet temperament. I am guessing the owner(s) are just not well educated in dog care and are unaware of how quickly a dog can over heat or that laying in the ridged bed of a pickup is not very comfortable.
Slamdunc, you are my hero for enforcing it. I wish they would enforce the ordinance down here. My vet friend does her share of patch ups on dogs that ended up outside the pickup truck bed for various reasons. The excuses are amazing such as "what do you mean it ain't safe? it is cuz my kids ride back there all the time" (illegal to have people in back too but it is done ALL the time down here, the kids riding in back make me shudder). Many times the dogs/kids in the beds drive right past PD sitting in the car.
by Sunsilver on 08 July 2013 - 01:07
Here's the safe way to do it! There are actually goggles designed especially for dogs (called Doggles, of course!)
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