I went to watch at Blackpool today and was appalled at the number of calls that the vet was having to break into cars to free dogs locked in and left in the sun.
At least five registrations and breeds were called.
One car had it's inside temperature recorded as 31 degrees and that one had a window open - They were announcing others that had no ventilation at all.
I have never seen or heard this on such a large scale- It's awful

I was just discussing this with someone the other day at Cheshire.
I think we should all have to sign the entry form with a clause added that should we leave our dogs in cars and it is deemed that our dogs could be at risk, we give permission for the car to be broken into without any further discussion. There are just too many cases of this happening at shows and there is no excuse for it. When we got back to my car on the day of Cheshire we had taken some items back before bringing the dogs. We opened all the windows by about 6 inches and left it like that while we went back for the dogs. The temperature in the car when we first arrived took your breath away.

I agree- The tannoy for soft wheaten terriers was announced 3 times over 10 minutes which is a long time. It was in the seventies today- No dog lover does that

They are the dog keepers not the dog lovers...different breed altogether!!
I cannot believe they allow any dogs to be left in cars..there is benching and a tent for unentered dogs, I for one would never take more dogs than I can handle, If I need to I take help with me. There is more to life than a piece of card, and I will not put my dogs in a position of possible harm if I can do anything at all to help  it. The ones whos dogs were in distress should be banned from showing ever again. Just my opinion though.
I can accept those who have large vans and cages and leave all the doors open. They are no doubt as happy as on a bench. I still would worry about theft though, so my girlies are with me or a friend at all times.
Aileen

There were loads of cool tents they could have used so no excuse- They announced the rottweiler people by name - maybe they should do that more often and name and shame

They announced the rottweiler people by name - maybe they should do that more often and name and shame

Yes that is a great idea and I'm pleased to hear it has been done. I'll never understand how people can do it -dog show people should know better!

Considering they never checked any passes in or out there was no reason why any dog should have been left in a car.

Tut what is wrong with people,They should be banned from showing.

I heard on another site that a dog had died? Hope to DoG this isn't true? People who leave dogs in vehicles in the heat should be banned from showing for life, and banned from owning animals - it's the only way to get people to stop doing this!

Kay

I was appalled to hear one of the owners being called back to their cars was a Dalmatian owner, I'd hoped they were more responsible than that. I can't believe after all the bad press about dog showing over the last 12 months and people are letting their dogs suffer in this way.
I agree with previos posts they should be banned from showing.

> They announced the rottweiler people by name

Are you sure?  Rottweiler were not showing today..

Many of the GP who came to show apparently were being allowed to bring their dogs into the ground after signing the forms, so they would not be left intheir cars.. its not all show people.. you would be surprised at how many people come for a day out, and not realise they cannot bring the dogs into the showground :-(

i dont even think dogs should be left in vans with them left open especially after reading this http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/191EDA28F711396D862575DF005870EC?OpenDocument

we have air conditioning and have it on all the time the dogs are in the car plus we switch it on and cool the car before letting them back in.

r~

It appals me.... I will sometimes leave my dog in the car for short periods - never without ventilation, I like to use a tailgate guard (getting one fitted on new car - at some point....) so can leave tailgate open.... also have ventilation grates to go in rear windows so can get through draught, and plan to get reflective sun cover - use sunshade across windscreen too.... and if it's too hot then dog just not left in car - end of. My dog is much more important than anything else - and if for any reason I had been idiotic enough to leave him so he got distressed, I would be shaking by the hand anyone that broke into my car to get him out..... I can't understand the mentality of people that firstly leave dogs to overheat in cars, and secondly complain that someone has broken into said vehicle to rescue them! I know some people would never leave dogs in cars - and personally I never have at Ch shows - with the 2, I had one entered, and entered the other NFC (would be nice if that was a little cheaper - and also if you could NFC a non KC reg dog - had a problem when I was unexpectedly looking after a friend's mongrel and taking my dog to a Ch show - had to make my mother come down and look after him - and it was quite a long way on the train for her - but they were friends of hers too and it was WAY too hot to leave him in the car!!)) - but at most Ch shows they have unentered dogs tents so there is no excuse.... including for visiting public. Anyone who has left a locked car in the sun HAS to know how hot it can get in there - on those days when you get in and can't hold the steering wheel because it is so hot.... :-(

I do wonder how much of it is the GP, as Kay says - because at Open shows (where you can get away with wandering round with your dog anyway really), when it's warmer, the place is covered in cars with open tailgates and crates or tailgate guards.... never personally seen a distressed dog at an open show and I have been to quite a lot. If I could afford it, I would like one of those ventilated vans like the police have for police dogs - but I also hate van driving, so probably not an option!!

From what I read in the last KG, I think the KC are clamping down even more on exhibitors leaving dogs distressed in the car - and rightly.

I wish the police would prosecute them :-(  Having said that I often leave my dogs in the car at shows, but only when I can be sitting in a chair beside them, I would never leave them in the car at a champ show or indoor show. I have a tailgate guard, window vents, fan, sunblinds and a gazebo to erect over the car - the dogs are usually cooler than I am :-) 

I always liken it to sitting in the car for instance waiting for someone who has gone into a shop and you wait outside with the windows down the car is still boiling hot so no I dont agree with leaving them in cars even with the windows and tailgates etc open ...I think if you cant take them in with you leave them at home where they are safe.
Do people know it is like cooking a piece of meat in the microwave cooking from the inside out .
I find when you walk past these cars left open people throw covers over the front because the dogs go balistic when people walk past with thier dogs . This cant be good for them the excitement must make them hot and flustered. It makes me so angry.
I also dont agree with sitting around the rings with dogs in crates with the sun beating down we always keep the dogs in the tents lying on the grooming trolley  where it is cool to prepare for the ring until its time to show.We take it in turns to watch the ring .

R~

I also dont agree with sitting around the rings with dogs in crates with the sun beating down we always keep the dogs in the tents lying on the grooming trolley  where it is cool to prepare for the ring until its time to show.We take it in turns to watch the ring -Ron-

Know what you mean Ron, but sometimes the tents are worse, like at Leeds etc, it is actually hotter/ no air in the tents, than it is outside, with umbrellas and wet blankets as shade covering cages, with air blowing through them. People just have to gaige on the day where it's best for their dogs At Leeds one year, when it was very hot, judging was moved inside the tents. When we went in, you could hardly breath it was so humid. Our dogs were kept cool outside in the shaded areas, with a breeze, cool blankets to lie on and umbrellas and reflective sheets. They were certainly more comfortable than those on the benches, inside the tents.

Kay

I have never shown at leeds. as you know Kay I always use the tents which I know very few people do, we are always cooler in there than outside..  we were at Border last weekend I absolutely hate the sun beaming down on me even under a brolly. If I thought it  would be better outside thats where I would be . Personally I think people dont want to miss whats going on in the ring so stay outside .Being inside doesnt affect my girl she falls asleep on her trolley ..LOL

I personally feel if its known its going to be a very very hot day i won't attend a show, why put you and your dogs through that for goodness sakes? If i find it hot and not easy to sit in how on earth will our dogs cope?
Even in the shade you can hit high temps and thats not right for a dog to sit through that, then expect to perform in the ring.

Now as for dogs being left in cars, anything like it has been is not on and people are not thinking about the welfare of their dogs. As Starryeyes has said put them in the non entered dogs tent or leave them at home - the latter would be the best option.. I don't get some people i really don't.
Open shows are a little different if you can sit near the car but for Ch shows to me its a no no..

I had this for the first time going to Wye Valley agility the other day.  I threw my gazebo into the car and was jolly glad that I did.  However the car was still very hot even with the gazebo covering it.  Meg and I sat outside the car in the shade but I still had to leave her to walk the ring and go to the loo.  I didn't go on the Sunday because it was just too hot. 

I certainly agree dogs should not be left in cars, but someone mentioned a tannoy call of 3 times over 10 minutes - well, it would probably take me that long to get to my car from the benching at a champ show! But of course the dog should not have been in the car in the first place. :-(

I saw on another board that a Miniature Pinscher had died in a car at Blackpool yesterday. Is this just a rumour?

I too heard that a Rottweiler had died, apparently they had broke the window to get in but the car/van was deadlocked so they couldn't get in?  Hope its just a horrible rumour and not true.

> I too heard that a Rottweiler had died, apparently they had broke the window to get in but the car/van was deadlocked so they couldn't get in?  Hope its just a horrible rumour and not true

Oh my goodness, I also hope this is a rumour :(
My dogs are indoors with all the windows open and are STILL too hot at 11pm so I can imagine how hot it would of been during the day in a car!

May all the dogs that have died at shows this week rest peacefully at the Bridge.  Poor babies. 

This is the one thing I found hard to deal with when I started showing.  people Leaving dogs in cars in warm whether. Even in winter I feel sorry for dogs who spend the whole show in a car. It must be so boring for them. And in warm whether it must be like torture.  I have two dogs and one never go's to shows. He stays at home with the TV on . I don't think I could lock him in the car all day at a show.  I understand leaving them for short periods of time in cool weather for the owner to take a brake and get food or show another dog. But I have seen some dogs never leave the car all day. :(

On the subject of dogs in car parks at shows there was an announcement at Kelso last week that a very young puppy had been found wandering the in the car park, the inference being on the VERY young.  IF you did bring a baby pup in the car with you (and I can't think why anyone sensible would) how on earth do you then go and lose it?

Boxers, dobes and GSDs left in the cars today, several had to be broken into.

They are the dog keepers not the dog lovers...

I agree with you  merlot...put these people in cars for a couple of hours with windows nearly shut and see how long they would last in there.

> Boxers, dobes and GSDs left in the cars today, several had to be broken into

These people should be named & shamed!

A min pin did die at blackpool  in a car , three dobes in distress to day the vet was at the car with the rspca . 4 tanoys and still no one came back , dont know the outcome  but hope they we all ok.

Ahh i over heard a convo round the boxer ring that a owner was alerted by another boxer owner that her car had been broken into
grrrr

What a sad state of affairs... Poor dogs...
I agree that they should take remedial action and break into vehicles to save these dogs, hope the owners are dealt with by the show society, RSPCA and the KC.. There is no excuse for this behaviour

i think not only named and shamed but banned for life !!

Peanuts

I was at an agility show yesterday, we dont have benching or even tents for dogs at agility shows and this particular show ground has no shade.  My car was covered in silver sheets,  all windows and tailgate open, I leave one dog in the car and one tied at the back of the car in the shade.   They were fine but I went home at lunchtime as it was getting too hot. I dont have room to carry my gazebo in my car (have baby and pram filling the back seat) but am thinking of getting a carnopy as these pack up quite small. You rarely hear announcements at agility shows about dogs in distress probably because people spend a lot of time at their cars and all cars are covered with reflective sheets and gazebos and everyone has tailgate guards or crates. The problem with leaving dogs in cars at champ shows is that you are parked so far away and you set up ringside or at your bench so you dont keep going back to your car (also you cant always take your dog out to your car without using your removal pass).

At agility shows NFC is free

It was a side of showing I had never seen and I am appalled.
There are no other words

No Min Pin died at Blackpool show or after the show for that matter!  Whether exhibitors should have used the tentage available for unentered dogs is another matter .... but most importantly no Min Pin was ever ill or distressed because of being left in a vehicle with tailgate and windows open, access to water and covered with space blankets and checked at regular intervals.