American police officers are reportedly now enforcing the golden rule for pet owners who neglect their pets in hot vehicles.
According to reports, a policeman allegedly forced a woman to sit in her hot car with the windows rolled up after she left her dog in the same conditions for an unspecified period of time. According to the Cleveland Sun News, the woman reportedly returned to her car in a shopping center parking lot to find a dispatched police officer waiting to let her pup out of the hot vehicle. The woman allegedly told him that the dog was "fine,” but as reprimand, he in turn demanded that she sit in the hot car with the windows rolled up.
“The woman said she was fine but the officer noted she looked uncomfortable,” reports the Sun News. “The woman was advised if she did this again she would be cited.”
While it’s unclear whether this is legally sound, it certainly serves as a reminder that leaving our pets unattended and without access to proper ventilation constitutes animal cruelty. Dogs can’t help themselves beyond barking when they’re in distress, and leaving them helpless in situations of extremity fails to acknowledge this fact. Whenever we bring our pets with us, it’s important to remember that their needs extend beyond whatever we’re doing to ensure their safety while we’re immediately present.
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