Dear Abby

SUMMER HEAT TURNS LOCKED CAR INTO FURNACE FOR HELPLESS PET

ABBY: The letter from “No Dogs in the Car” you printed last
year (Aug. 6) appeared one day too late for me. I pulled
into a supermarket parking lot on a hot afternoon and, as
I was getting out of my car, I heard a dog barking and
whining. It was a sweet little Yorkshire terrier that had
been locked in a brand-new luxury vehicle with the windows
barely cracked open. I couldn’t tell how long he had been
there, but his barking suggested he was not comfortable.
I walked over to see if I could open the door.

A well-dressed woman came out of the store, saw me and
shrieked, “Why are you standing next to my car?” I
explained that because of the heat, her dog should not
have been left in the enclosed vehicle. Her response?
“Mind your own business, you dumb (rhymes-with-witch)!”
she screamed and then stormed off.

I read the letter in your column from “No Dogs” the
following day and made a copy. I hope I run into that
“charming” woman again so I can hand her one.
– BONNIE’S MOM IN BEVERLY HILLS

BONNIE’S MOM: Your letter is timely because in parts of
the country the temperature is soaring. And people
frequently forget how quickly the temperature rises in an
enclosed vehicle. Every summer we hear sad stories about
pets perishing in parked cars.

But I digress. For your own safety, please don’t hand that
ill-mannered woman anything. Instead, leave it under her
windshield wiper. Read on for what other readers say on
this important subject:

ABBY: My animal services’ phone number is programmed into
my cell phone, and I used it recently when I saw a small
dog locked in a hot car one afternoon. I called animal
services and gave the location and description of the
vehicle.

An animal control officer arrived within five minutes and
stuck a thermometer in the window. Determining that the
dog wasn’t in immediate danger, he left a one-hour notice
on the vehicle. If the owner returned within the hour, he
would get a warning. If, however, the officer returned in
an hour and the owner still had not appeared, the officer
would break in and release the poor animal.

It’s a useful number for animal lovers to keep on hand.
– READER IN RENO, NEV.
ABBY: According to the Arizona Humane Society, NEVER
leave your pet in a parked car. Leaving a pet in a car
on a hot day is not only against the law, it would lead
to charges of animal cruelty. If you see an animal in a
locked car, call your Humane Society Rescue Unit. They
can respond more quickly than the police. But if the
police are called, they can legally break a window.
– P.V.S. IN PHOENIX
ABBY: While attending the 1994 Gator National Drag Race
in Gainesville, Fla., an announcement was made for the
owners of an ‘89 Buick station wagon to please get their
dog out of the car. Fifteen minutes later, a new
announcement: “For the owners of the ‘89 Buick station
wagon, we have good news and bad news. The good news is,
your dog is fine. The bad news is, your passenger side
window is now broken.”

Everyone in the stands cheered!
– MITCH IN ROXBORO, N.C.

MITCH: Thanks for writing. I love a happy ending.

ABBY is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as
Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline
Phillips. Write ABBY at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 
69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.