Breaking a stranger's car window if there's a dog inside

[Acidrop]

Am I the only one that thinks anyone doing this should be shot? Yes it's daft if someone leaves a dog inside a locked car, but it's not your dog or your car. It's plain criminal damage and people are made out to be heroes for smashing someone's window in.

[TooMany2cvs]

Acidrop said:

Am I the only one that thinks anyone doing this should be shot?

I sincerely hope you are, yes.

[Blanchimont]

Acidrop said:

Am I the only one that thinks anyone doing this should be shot? Yes it's daft if someone leaves a dog inside a locked car, but it's not your dog or your car. It's plain criminal damage and people are made out to be heroes for smashing someone's window in.

It may not be my dog in the car, but it's still a dog. It's not "daft" leaving a dog in the car either, it's lethal.

I'd quite happily do it, and I'm confident even people who don't like dogs will understand why it gets done. Except you, perhaps.

[Henzy]

I have never owned a dog but I suppose it comes down to, would you rather come back to your car to find your dog dead or a smashed window and an angry mob. The answer is simple, don't put yourself in that predicament and don't leave your dog in a locked car unattended, especially on a hot day!

[Blib]

Acidrop said:

Am I the only one that thinks anyone doing this should be shot? Yes it's daft if someone leaves a dog inside a locked car, but it's not your dog or your car. It's plain criminal damage and people are made out to be heroes for smashing someone's window in.

Please tell me that this post is a wind up.

[Mr E]

If it was their car and their baby, what would you do?

Where's the line on sentience that allows you to let it die?

[Jasandjules]

Acidrop said:

Am I the only one that thinks anyone doing this should be shot? Yes it's daft if someone leaves a dog inside a locked car, but it's not your dog or your car. It's plain criminal damage and people are made out to be heroes for smashing someone's window in.

Well I think the person leaving the dog in a hot car should be shot.

I would much rather risk a criminal damage charge (or even pay for a new car window) than see a dog die of heat stroke in front of me.

[tejr]

You would have to presume that the passers-by who do this have assessed the situation as being serious enough to warrant breaking a window to free the dog(s).

And given that (in real terms) its such a rarity, I would suggest the above is correct.

OP - Has this happened to your car?

[HappyMidget]

I think OP should be shot.

[Riley Blue]

I haven't done it but I've seen it done after the police were called to two dogs shut in a car on a sweltering hot day. I don't think I'd hestitate doing it myself if I saw dogs in distress.

[OzzyR1]

On a more serious note, don't be a tool OP, dogs can't sweat like humans so heat affects them a lot more then it does to us. Temperatures in cars can rise very rapidly - if I saw a dog in obvious heat distress I'd have no qualms about putting a window through and I hope most others wouldn't either.

[thesyn]

I definitely would and would accept any consequences forthcoming from my action.

[MrBarry123]

I think I'd probably call 101 and inform the police before smashing someone's window.

ETA: I've just had a couple minutes' giggles thanks to imagining any PHer automatically smashing windows whenever they see a dog in a car.

[Shakermaker]

thesyn said:

I definitely would and would accept any consequences forthcoming from my action.

I don't believe there would be consequences (not legally at least... can't speak for those from the owner!) in this situation.

Did anyone else read that you should call 999 first of all to let them know you're about to do it, say "I'm at location X and stood by car registration yyy and there's a dog and its sweltering" etc etc, before finding the nearest brick/chav/tyre iron to resolve the issue?

[Acidrop]

Let's just take all the bleeding heart sentimental bs out of it. I love dogs the same as anyone else and I would never leave a dog in a locked car. I would never even let a dog in my car in the first place as the wife is not even allowed to eat in my car.

I'm looking at this purely from a legal standpoint. You have no right to criminally damage someone else's car no matter what. Yes it might be morally right to do so, but people who say there won't be any consequences?? I'm sure the police would view that differently.

[MrBarry123]

DELETED: Comment made by a member who's account has been deleted.

Really? I can't believe that.

And even if that's unfortunately true, if the car has a dog in it, the likelihood is the car will be parked outside of a shop of some sort. As such, I'd then ask the shop to put out a tannoy call for the owner of the car.

If neither of those worked then yes, I'd smash all of the windows*.

*maybe just one

[wildcat45]

I'd check it wasn't locked first.

I'd not hesitate and I'd not call the police first. It'd be another link in the decision process. A civvy call taker more than likely rather than a copper. They'll probably want to go through some sort of pre-defined computer 'pathway' ask your date of birth, home address etc, then advise you not to do anything.

Take the window out and take any consequences. I'm sure the irresponsible dog owner would ask for NFA. Is there not a lawful reason for breaking the window? To prevent unnecessary suffering to an animal?

(I'm not knocking the police. They saved my life last year but while I was getting the st kicked out of me and on a 999 call the operator did ask me my date of birth.)

Edited by wildcat45 on Friday 17th June 09:12

[R E S T E C P]

The risk of dogs overheating is far greater than people realise. If I ever see a car with a dog inside on a hot day I smash the window to either pull them out or at least let some air into the car.

Seriously pisses off the drivers though, especially on the motorway.

[Davey S2]

If the dog was in danger then I'd happily smash the window.

If the owner came back and started kicking off about it and I thought I'd get away with it I'd also happily smash the owner too.

if you're not capable of looking after something that depends on you then you shouldn't have it in the first place.

[bungz]

Mrs had this the other weekend when it was roasting in a carpark.

Reported it to the cops then came back 3 hours later to see the poor dog was still there panting its tits off.

Upshot was cops eventually came out and while they were sizing it up to smash it a grotty old woman came over.

Dog had been in the car since 7am according to the all day parking ticket

Cops then said if ever you were to smash a window you wouldn't get prosecuted so just get on with it rather than wait for them.