What Would You Have Done?

[rescueme]

...hey, free baby!

Hey, no such thing ...

They cost a lot - in the long run (same thing as stray animals you "adopt" and long term spouses )...

 

[Sarah in SC]

I would've just called 911. No matter what you do, how tactful you are, you're just "some guy" and it's gonna get defensive and ugly and confrontational fast.

No matter how confrontational they get with the police, the police do have state law and if needed a few dozen assistants to back them up. You don't. And everyone knows it.

+1. People can be crazy. I wouldn't confront a stranger under any circumstances. Let the police deal with them.

 

[veremchuka]

Is it illegal to leave your dog in a parked car?* The answer to this question, of course, depends on in the state in which you live.* Actually, only 14 states (AZ, CA, IL, ME, MD, MN, NV, NH, NJ, NY,*ND,*SD, VT, and WV) have statutes that specifically prohibit leaving an animal in confined vehicle.* The next factor important to the question is the condition under which the the animal is left in the vehicle.**Most of these laws provide that the animal must be confined or unattended*in a parked or stationary vehicle.* Further, the*laws add that in order for a person to violate the law, the conditions have*to endanger the animal's life.* Some of the statutes*specifically*state that extreme hot or cold temperatures, lack of adequate ventilation, or failing to provide proper food or drink meet this definition.* Other laws are more vague and just require that the conditions are such that physical injury or death is likely to result.

Thanks Midpack, I had no idea there was a law in some states.

I was surprised people said they'd confront the person. Even if it was a woman, I wouldn't do it and forget it being a man. You never know who or what you are dealing with or what the circumstances are in that person's life at the time. People are just too unpredictable, as Walt said the police have the power and authority and you don't and the crazies know that.

 

[Chuckanut]

Runningbum,

I believe Chuckanut was referring to a later post by Brdofpray.

I was being critical of the person(s) who reprimanded our poster for calling 911. Had 911 not been called and the child had suffered injury or died, I bet the same person would have reprimanded him for not calling.

 

[Midpack]

I was being critical of the person(s) who reprimanded our poster for calling 911. Had 911 not been called and the child had suffered injury or died, I bet the same person would have reprimanded him for not calling.

That's the rub. If I'm confronted with a baby or a dog in a locked car, how do I know how long they've been there or when the owner is coming back? The owner has put me in a position where I can't walk away in good conscience. And I'm not a doctor/vet, should I just wait and watch (10, 20, 30 minutes?), and not react until the baby or dog is unconscious? Then it's probably too late to prevent a serious problem.

Don't leave your baby or dog in a car alone no matter what the temp and ventilation. If I decide to call 911 because of the unknowns, you (owner) can threaten me or call me any name you want, I could care less...

 

[Sarah in SC]

Of course, I remember in our long ago courting days, I would meet my soon-to-be husband down at the bar for happy hour after leaving the farm. I'd take my border collie Grace to work every day, and she'd happily hang out in the station wagon while I had a few beers and she had her dinner and a bowl of water. This was in the wintertime, and I always cracked the windows so it was cool in there for her. I'd never do it when it was hot weather, and she didn't seem to mind too much.

I'd never leave a dog in a hot car on a hot day, even for a minute--temps rise amazingly fast.

 

[retiredtillwepart]

I would have called after 5 minutes of observation. I then perhaps would avoid having my better-half read to me another sad story from our newspaper and say out loud we live in a crazy world.

 

[Mulligan]

That's the rub. If I'm confronted with a baby or a dog in a locked car, how do I know how long they've been there or when the owner is coming back? The owner has put me in a position where I can't walk away in good conscience. And I'm not a doctor/vet, should I just wait and watch (10, 20, 30 minutes?), and not react until the baby or dog is unconscious? Then it's probably too late to prevent a serious problem.

Don't leave your baby or dog in a car alone no matter what the temp and ventilation. If I decide to call 911 because of the unknowns, you (owner) can threaten me or call me any name you want, I could care less...

In my area, I see dogs in cars by themselves all the time ( seasonal weather, nothing to endanger the animal). In fact I have a parttime dog, and he loves going to the store with me and if its not in the heat of summer, I let him go. I certainly would never do anything to endanger him. I certainly understand the issue of cruelty to animals, but I did not realize it was illegal to have a dog in a locked car in some states.

 

[Keim]

I have a parttime dog...

What is it when it isn't a dog?

Isn't that the same as a werewolf?

 

[Mulligan]

What is it when it isn't a dog?

Isn't that the same as a werewolf?

Its actually my daughters and she drives down every other weekend with dog in tow. I guess she considers it her vacation time, because somehow I assume all the care for him when they are here. And she wonders why he follows me everywhere I go and ignores her when they are here.

 

[eytonxav]

What is it when it isn't a dog?

Isn't that the same as a werewolf?

Hey, it can't be part dog and werewolf. I thought everyone knew werewolves have two legs when it isn't being a werewolf.

 

[retiredtillwepart]

I had a situation where a baby was locked in the car in our parking lot on a hot day. I called our park police. They said they were about 45 minutes away. I hung up, and called 911. The baby was out of the car in less than 10 minutes. Later, I was reprimanded for not waiting for our park police. (Our park police have always had a complex about not being real officers.) I told them to stick their reprimand, and said if it happened again, I wouldn't even call them. My supervisor at the time backed me 100%.

Your park police are neede in Florida!

 

[LOL!]

... I then showed her (and my son) that to open her door all she needed to do was lift up the door lock button just as if it didn't have central locking.

If my son hadn't been in the car my mother would never have figured it out and she was disabled so couldn't get through to the front. (electric windows so no hope there). The lesson for me was that I needed to be a lot more careful in future.

Did you hear about the Aggie who locked his keys in his car?




He had a break a window to get his family out.

 

[SJ1_]

I am very much bothered by something that happened yesterday and the fact that I did nothing. What would you have done in this situation...

Around mid-day I went to a local strip mall to return a TJ Maxx purchase. Parking at the far end of the lot, I notice the car next to me had the driver's side door propped open by a coffee cup. I looked inside the car and there is a baby, around 4mos. old in the back seat. Temp was sunny and low sixties so no danger of suffocation. But what about the whackos that are all around us? I did decide to call 911 if, upon returning, the parents were nowhere to be found. The mother was sitting in the car when I got back about 15 minutes later.

Looking back on the incident, I now feel I should have called 911. What would you have done?

call 911
Better error on the safe side.

 

[Richard4444]

Here in Florida many seasonal visitors are unaware of the situation with dogs in closed cars. I last called Police non-emergency # and was told it is illegal in FL to lock a dog in a car. Dog owner came out before Police showed up and was grateful for the action.

 

[harley]

I would've just called 911. No matter what you do, how tactful you are, you're just "some guy" and it's gonna get defensive and ugly and confrontational fast.

No matter how confrontational they get with the police, the police do have state law and if needed a few dozen assistants to back them up. You don't. And everyone knows it.

Pretty much exactly my point. Once you involve the police, the situation can escalate until the resulting mess far outweighs the initial f-up. A confrontation of the "hey, you know if I had been one of the 99% of the ER forum members your kid would be in foster care and you'd be in jail, you might want to use some common sense next time" type isn't likely to result in a shooting or a beating. If the person reacts defensively, just say, "hey, your choice. I was just trying to do you a favor" and walk away. If they're a normal person who made a bad decision they'll do better next time. If they're an idiot they'll get what they deserve.

And as I said previously, if the parent didn't return within 5 minutes I'd make the call. That wouldn't endanger the kid. And it sort of depends on the location. If it's a 7-11 or a day care center I'd wait and confront. If it's a bar, a casino, or a crack house I'd probably just call.

It's not right to be that afraid of people. Not the world I choose to live in.

 

[Khan]

I've decided to call 911 in warm weather.
Fact Sheet - Hyperthermia Deaths of Children in Vehicles