I don't really like dogs:
They make me sneeze (cats do not: figure that one out), and want to hump my leg, so I am far from a friend of "man's best friend".
My philosophy is that animals have no rights, but that does not give humans carte blanche to abuse or neglect animals.
So,
It's a clear sunny morning and afternoon.
Temps started high in the morning, and keep climbing.
I roll into my first town, and I see a new Suburban with a nice Wells Cargo type trailer hitched to it, about halfway under a tree just off the roadway.
The vehicle will be exposed to direct sun within a few hours.
I stop and listen for a running engine, and there was none:
No carbon monoxide deaths this morning for me.
I run the plates: Not stolen.
I move along.
I got busy with a recovered stolen vehicle on the other side of my district, and didn't make it back to the first town until about 345, and I notice the Suburban and trailer are still there:
This is weird.
I take a closer look at the Suburban:
Dark Green color: Absorbs heat
Windows cracked about 1-1/2 inches
On the passenger side seat is a Blue Heeler:
Lot's of panting, but does not seem in terrible distress, but I am concerned because it's gotten really sunny and warm
National Weather Service later tells me the high temp was 102 today in the area, and add the humidity, heat index and heat buildup inside the vehicle, and you have an uncomfortable situation that I'm sure none of us would like to find themselves in.
Windows are pretty dark (more heat absorption), and all I see is a water bottle on the front passenger side floor lying on it's side.
Can't tell if it's open, or if the dog can drink from it.
I don't see any other water available for the dog.
I'm thinking of calling our animal control guys to do a vehicle extraction, when two Harley's roll up:
Male driver and female driver.
I ask the male driver if the Suburban and trailer are theirs, and the male driver's reply is "yes".
I ask in a nice, simple and straight forward manner, if they thought it was a good idea to leave a dog in a car like today while they went out riding all morning and afternoon.
It's over 100 degrees outside, sun is pounding down on this town at 5200 feet in altitude, and laughing boy's answer is, with emphasis:
"I can do whatever I want with my dog".
After about 5 seconds of silence (to let his own words make their way back to his brain), I told him I'd be needing his driver's license.
We don't have a "felony stupidity" or "contempt of cop" statute in Arizona, so I went with misdemeanor Cruelty To Animals.
He did later show a water bowl on the back floor, but I didn't see it when I was looking through the windows.
For all I know, he put it there while I was doing the paperwork, and I could have cared less.
Please sign on the X sir, and press hard:
You are going through 4 copies.
BTW, the dog's name is "Dog".
Jay
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