Dogs in Cars in MA (house, neighborhoods, tenant)

[MovingForward]

Does anybody know if there are any MA laws regarding leaving dogs unattended in a parked car?

[scarletfire]

MSPCA-Angell: Travelling Safely and Lawfully with Your Dog

Here's an excerpt from the MSPCA site:

DO NOT LEAVE PETS IN PARKED CARS ON HOT OR SUNNY DAYS
In warm weather, or in cooler weather but parked in direct sunlight, temperatures inside cars can rise to dangerously high levels in minutes.

An interior temperature can heat up to 100F in 10 minutes on an 80F day - even with the windows slightly open.

Pets can suffer needlessly and could die when left in a car even on a moderately hot day.

Causing an animal to be subjected to unnecessary cruelty or suffering is illegal in Massachusetts and is punishable by imprisonment for up to one year and a fine of up to $1,000

[miu]

How often and how long might your dog be left alone in your car? What kind of dog is it? A few years back, a woman was shopping at a mall and her car was broken into and her dog stolen. I don't think that she ever got the dog back.

My tenant frequently takes his dog to work and leaves her in his Volvo wagon unattended. But in warm weather, he parks under shade and leaves the windows open.

[yankee in nj]

Anyone who leaves their dog in the car while they are at work SHOULD NOT HAVE A DOG!!! You wouldn't leave your child in the car, would you?

[Honeycrisp]

It's unsafe and dangerous. 2 dogs were recently stolen this week from a locked car in NJ, fortunately they were lucky and were found safe and sound thanks to a lot of publicity (after days of angst on the part of their owners), why take a chance, even for a few minutes, they're safer at home, there's too many nutcases out there (not to mention it gets very hot very quickly in cars even if they're parked in the shade with the window rolled down), better safe than sorry.

2 stolen dogs returned to Newark shelter - Breaking News From New Jersey - NJ.com

[miu]

Originally Posted by yankee in nj

Anyone who leaves their dog in the car while they are at work SHOULD NOT HAVE A DOG!!! You wouldn't leave your child in the car, would you?

Dogs and human children are entirely different creatures. My dogs and his are extra happy to be with us rather than left behind at home.

Actually, he's a great dog owner. I have dogs and they sleep most of the day (I work from home), and all of his dogs and cats live well over 15 years old and seem very happy and well adjusted. He works in JP, not the city. If he has his dogs with him, then he is able to take them for walks during the day. Quality walks like around the pond and to the Arboretum.

I used to take many long road trips accompanied by my dogs. They considered my car to be a dog house on wheels. One dog used to sleep in my car overnight if she knew that we were going to be leaving for a trip the next day. She didn't want to be left behind.

[puffle]

Originally Posted by MovingForward

Does anybody know if there are any MA laws regarding leaving dogs unattended in a parked car?

I don't believe your question was directly answered. It is not illegal to leave a dog in your car if that is all you wanted to know. I don't believe you asked about heat, work, how long, cruelty to animals, etc.

[MovingForward]

Thanks for the responses, everybody. And Puffle, thanks so much for answering my question.

Just to clarify: I have no intention whatsoever to leave any of my dogs in a car. I know someone who does this regularly, however, poo-pooing the risk of theft, etc. I just wanted to know if a law existed against it.

Thanks again.

[Boomerang]

Originally Posted by miu

Dogs and human children are entirely different creatures. My dogs and his are extra happy to be with us rather than left behind at home.

Of course the dogs are happy to go with us, but responsible owners take this a step further and acknowledge responsibility for ensuring that the dogs aren't left in situations where they could come to possible harm. In almost every situation the dog is better off staying safely at home, and incidentally learning to wait comfortably at home with adequate food, water, room to stretch, nobody bothering them and no separation anxiety, than sitting in a car in a public place for hours on end every working day because their owner refuses to recognize what's best for the animal.

Dogs might be extra happy sticking their heads out of car windows too, but responsible dog owners don't let them do it due to potential eye injuries. Dogs would definitely be extra happy to eat poultry bones but responsible owners don't allow them to do that either.

[MovingForward]

Originally Posted by Boomerang

Of course the dogs are happy to go with us, but responsible owners take this a step further and acknowledge responsibility for ensuring that the dogs aren't left in situations where they could come to possible harm. In almost every situation the dog is better off staying safely at home, and incidentally learning to wait comfortably at home with adequate food, water, room to stretch, nobody bothering them and no separation anxiety, than sitting in a car in a public place for hours on end every working day because their owner refuses to recognize what's best for the animal.

Dogs might be extra happy sticking their heads out of car windows too, but responsible dog owners don't let them do it due to potential eye injuries. Dogs would definitely be extra happy to eat poultry bones but responsible owners don't allow them to do that either.

I absolutely agree with this. Any responsible dog owner will not, in my opinion, leave his or her dog(s) alone unattended in a car. The problem, in my opinion, is that people are too trusting--primarily because they don't know the reality of the risk, and just assume that it's okay. If they worked in animal rescue, they would get a wake-up call about this very quickly. Dogs get stolen from cars every day in this country. One of the ways, in fact, that dog fighters find their "bait" animals to train their fighting dogs. I spoke with a police officer on the Cape about this a couple of years ago. He said the dogfighting situation is getting worse, and not only should people not leave their dogs in cars, or tied up outside of stores, but should not leave them unattended in a yard: dogfighters, apparently, regularly cruise neighborhoods looking for unattended yard dogs. One couple in Maine left their bichon in their car while they ran into a convenience store for 5 minutes. When they came out, she was gone. Better to be safe, as the old saying goes, than sorry. If we wouldn't leave our children unattended in a car, we shouldn't leave our animals. The species is not the question: vulnerability is.