So apparently I am a bad dog owner.
I had to go somewhere straight after work today so I decided to bring Abby and Ryan with me for the day. I do this every so often, probably every two months or so (not in the middle of summer or middle of winter). This means that they have to stay in the car for the 8 hours I'm at work. The weather here is pretty mild right now (I think it was about 3 degrees today and there was a bit of sun) and they are completely relaxed in the car. The parking lot at my work is very close to the office and I can go check on them regularly. I leave the windows and sun roof cracked open. At lunch I take them out to run on the field. Abby stays in her crate since otherwise she pays too much attention to things going on outside the car and Ryan is loose in the back since his car crate is slightly too small to leave him in all day. All of that to say that I feel it is totally and completely fine to leave them in the car - in fact, I'd say in some ways it's better than leaving them at home since they get to run at lunch.
Today, *while* I was outside playing with them at lunch, an email went out to everyone at work from a girl from 'visitor experience' that said "could the owner of a silver Pontiac Vibe please call my extension ASAP!". The phone call that ensued reminded me of something from The Office.
Her: Oh hi, yeah, I just wanted to let you know that it's our company policy to call Animal Control if there are dogs left in a car in the parking lot.
Me: Excuse me?? I just got back from letting my dogs out, I check on them all day and it isn't hot outside. They are completely fine.
Her: Well, we had a complaint that there were dogs in a car and it's just our company policy to call Animal Control...we haven't called them yet this time, I just wanted to let you know that that's our policy.
Me: Isn't there any way you can tell the person who complained that they are a staff member's dogs and they are being checked on and taken care of and everything is fine? Plus the parking lot isn't even on company property.
Her: Welll....like I said we won't call Animal Control this time but our policy is-
Me: So you're saying that if I ever bring my dogs to work again you'll call Animal Control?
Her: Yes. We have to. That's our policy.
Me: What exactly was the complaint about the dogs? Was it that the person thought they didn't have enough space? That they were stressed out? What was it?
Her: I don't know, you'd have to call Security to ask them since they had the complaint. This policy was put into place during the unusually hot summer this year with all the dogs overheating in cars.
Me: I can understand that but it's December and it's 3 degrees outside. My dogs are not overheating.
Her: Well, it's just policy. Nothing personal.
Me: Right. Would you mind telling me where this policy is written in the company guidelines so that I could read up about it?
Her: Well actually it's not written out..it's not really a policy...it's more of a due diligence. If someone complains about an animal in the car it's our due diligence to call An-
Me: Ok I understand that, I really do, but now that you *know* these dogs are mine is there really no way you can keep that on file for future reference if there are any complaints since you *know* I am checking on them all day?
Her: Well there are multiple duty managers and it could be a different person on any given day so that person might not know they are your dogs and they might call Animal Control.
Me: You know what? I'm just going to put a note on my car and if anyone has any issues they can contact me directly.
Her: Ok then, bye.
I wanted to rip my hair out I was so frustrated after that phone call. I understand, I really do, that they should call animal control if there is a dog locked in a car during the heat of summer. Yes, dogs overheat and die in cars. Dogs do not overheat and die in cars in Vancouver in December. Why could she not drop the whole thing after I explained that I had it under control??
Mostly I couldn't help thinking of the irony of the whole situation. I work in an aquarium. There are dolphins and belugas in pools in captivity and the person who originally complained was likely paying to go see them...and they are hung up on dogs being locked in a car for the day? Priorities people. If only they knew the extent of how well cared for these dogs are!
I had to go somewhere straight after work today so I decided to bring Abby and Ryan with me for the day. I do this every so often, probably every two months or so (not in the middle of summer or middle of winter). This means that they have to stay in the car for the 8 hours I'm at work. The weather here is pretty mild right now (I think it was about 3 degrees today and there was a bit of sun) and they are completely relaxed in the car. The parking lot at my work is very close to the office and I can go check on them regularly. I leave the windows and sun roof cracked open. At lunch I take them out to run on the field. Abby stays in her crate since otherwise she pays too much attention to things going on outside the car and Ryan is loose in the back since his car crate is slightly too small to leave him in all day. All of that to say that I feel it is totally and completely fine to leave them in the car - in fact, I'd say in some ways it's better than leaving them at home since they get to run at lunch.
Today, *while* I was outside playing with them at lunch, an email went out to everyone at work from a girl from 'visitor experience' that said "could the owner of a silver Pontiac Vibe please call my extension ASAP!". The phone call that ensued reminded me of something from The Office.
Her: Oh hi, yeah, I just wanted to let you know that it's our company policy to call Animal Control if there are dogs left in a car in the parking lot.
Me: Excuse me?? I just got back from letting my dogs out, I check on them all day and it isn't hot outside. They are completely fine.
Her: Well, we had a complaint that there were dogs in a car and it's just our company policy to call Animal Control...we haven't called them yet this time, I just wanted to let you know that that's our policy.
Me: Isn't there any way you can tell the person who complained that they are a staff member's dogs and they are being checked on and taken care of and everything is fine? Plus the parking lot isn't even on company property.
Her: Welll....like I said we won't call Animal Control this time but our policy is-
Me: So you're saying that if I ever bring my dogs to work again you'll call Animal Control?
Her: Yes. We have to. That's our policy.
Me: What exactly was the complaint about the dogs? Was it that the person thought they didn't have enough space? That they were stressed out? What was it?
Her: I don't know, you'd have to call Security to ask them since they had the complaint. This policy was put into place during the unusually hot summer this year with all the dogs overheating in cars.
Me: I can understand that but it's December and it's 3 degrees outside. My dogs are not overheating.
Her: Well, it's just policy. Nothing personal.
Me: Right. Would you mind telling me where this policy is written in the company guidelines so that I could read up about it?
Her: Well actually it's not written out..it's not really a policy...it's more of a due diligence. If someone complains about an animal in the car it's our due diligence to call An-
Me: Ok I understand that, I really do, but now that you *know* these dogs are mine is there really no way you can keep that on file for future reference if there are any complaints since you *know* I am checking on them all day?
Her: Well there are multiple duty managers and it could be a different person on any given day so that person might not know they are your dogs and they might call Animal Control.
Me: You know what? I'm just going to put a note on my car and if anyone has any issues they can contact me directly.
Her: Ok then, bye.
I wanted to rip my hair out I was so frustrated after that phone call. I understand, I really do, that they should call animal control if there is a dog locked in a car during the heat of summer. Yes, dogs overheat and die in cars. Dogs do not overheat and die in cars in Vancouver in December. Why could she not drop the whole thing after I explained that I had it under control??
Mostly I couldn't help thinking of the irony of the whole situation. I work in an aquarium. There are dolphins and belugas in pools in captivity and the person who originally complained was likely paying to go see them...and they are hung up on dogs being locked in a car for the day? Priorities people. If only they knew the extent of how well cared for these dogs are!
1 comment:
I had someone complain to the SPCA about Tyler, when we used to have to leave him in the truck. They sent me a letter about how I shouldn't leave him in the truck and I was livid! He was a danger to himself at home and I had no other options - we fixed up the back of the truck so that he had air flow, a water dish and was safe. After that incident, I taped a sign on the truck with my # and the reasons he was there and not one complained again.
I would put up a sign with your # on it - then people can call you. Obviously your dogs aren't stressed out in the car!!
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