DENVER -- July 23, 2009

I AM BARKING MAD.

FURIOUS.

You humans can be so self-centered and just plain stupid. A very nice dog died last week because it was left in a car while its humans attended the auditions for American Idol. American IDOL, HA -- They should have been auditioning for American IDIOT, in my humble opinion.

I mean really, DO WE HAVE TO GO OVER THIS AGAIN? Apparently yes.

Take a look at www.mydogiscool.com. Among other helpful tidbits there's this:

"A Stanford University test found that when it is 72 degrees outside, a car’s internal temperature can rocket to 116 degrees within an hour, even with windows cracked. When it is 85 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car can soar to 102 degrees in 10 minutes and 120 degrees in 30 minutes. A dog can only withstand a high body temperature for a short time before suffering nerve damage, heart problems, liver damage, brain damage or even death."

The temperature on July 14 was 90 degrees. One hour after the humans walked away from their BELOVED dog the temperature in the car was 133 degrees. That poor terrier was left in the car for HOURS. He never had a chance. I am so sad for him; he must have suffered horribly, wondering where his people were, when they were coming to get him and why he was left behind. It makes me howl, just thinking about it.

Here's another thing that makes me mad: seeing a dog rattling around in the back of a pickup truck. We followed one as we were driving home last week. The dog was a gorgeous German Shepherd and every time the truck hit a pothole or bump in the road the dog lost its balance. Do you know how many dogs fall out of trucks and are killed or horribly hurt every year? Hundreds and hundreds. Marianne lives in terror that a dog will fall out in front of her car and she'll hit it. Do you have any idea how devastating that would be for all of us? She would never forgive herself, even though it wouldn't be her fault.

*shudder*

Not only was the dog in danger of falling out. At stoplights it paced and shifted uneasily from foot to foot to foot because its paws were burning. Bet you didn't think of how hot the metal bed of the truck was, did you? You don't see humans sitting in the back of a truck because it's DANGEROUS and HOT. Why would someone do that to a dog? WHY?

As soon as we got home Marianne called the Dumb Friends League Cruelty Investigations and reported the license plate of the truck. Unfortunately, it was a California plate and she was told (regretfully) that DFL couldn't do anything. If it had been a Colorado plate they would have contacted the owner. But she was told that any time she feels an animal is in danger she can call the local police or sheriff, which she will do the next time.

I wish someone in the parking lot at the American Idol auditions had noticed that poor dog and called the police.

Promise me three things:

1. You'll call the police, sheriff and/or DFL Cruelty Investigations if you think a dog (or any animal) is in danger.

2. If you must take your dog in your truck you'll put it in a secure crate that is tied down. That crate isn't going to protect your pet from heat or cold, so please let Rin-Tin-Tin ride with you in the cab of the truck if the temperatures are extreme

3. You will LEAVE YOUR DOG AT HOME instead of thinking it needs to ride along to the store, work, the arts fair, the ball game, the flea market, the restaurant or any other venue. Lassie would much rather be at home in a cool house or shady yard with a big bowl of fresh water. Trust me on this.

Chow for now.

Ross

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