It is getting hot out there, so I wanted to share a very important story of what can happen if you leave a dog in a car with no air, cracked windows or water. Every year we see this over and over again, with dogs and with children, people either forget or decide it is okay to leave them in a car. I assure you, it is not! Your dogs should not be left in a hot car without the proper set up, which would be water and air (either from your car or the windows being down with shade and a fan).
The LA Times had a story of a 19-year-old San Bernardino County resident who clearly had no business owning a puppy. She showed how little she knew about dog safety as she left her puppy in her car with all the windows up on a 90 degree day while she went into the mall for a little shopping. A passerby saw the pup, called 911 and unfortunately by the time they got the pup out of the car, he was dead. The puppy owner was arrested for animal-cruelty.
I encourage you all to click on the link below and read the blurb from the LA Times, more than that, read what some of the people that commented wrote. There is one suggestion to have a hammer in your car to break windows to free dogs or children if necessary. While I cannot encourage you all to engage in such radical behavior... it is a good idea!
Please keep it safe out there, remember your car is really an oven on wheels in this heat. If you have a newer car, you can do what I do when I need a gallon of milk or something quick, I leave the car on, air full blast, water on the floor board and lock the car and all is fine when I return. If you can't make it safe for your dog, wait until you can get them home and go back to the store.
