- November 16, 2024
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Years ago, while interviewing an employee at Florida Hospital Flagler, I overheard a man who was distraught, after learning he needed to be admitted. The man had driven himself to the emergency room where he waited, was seen, I assume had some tests, before the decision was made to admit him.
His concern wasn't the fact that he was sick enough to require hospitalization, he was worried about his dog, waiting out in the car for him.
Dogs want to be with us, and we with them, that's good, but sometimes the kindest thing to do, is to leave them at home in the air conditioning with their food, water and toys.
If you have never left your dog, while you've gone out on errands, you are missing a real treat – the absolute joy your dog experiences when you return. It's a good feeling. I can honestly say that no one in my life has ever been as genuinely happy to see me as my dog.
Reasons not to take your dog along for the ride, when he has to stay in the car, includes the temperature, don't tell me you have the windows “cracked,” the chance that any of us could fall ill and need medical attention and no one would know our pup was alone in the car, and the chance that someone might snatch the pup out of the car.
In my opinion, the only individual behind the steering wheel should be the one with the license, the driver's license. I snapped the accompanying photo while sitting at an undisclosed traffic light. The little terrier popped his head out the window and yes, he is cute, but the mom in me kicked into overdrive and the 'what-ifs' began in my head.
The arm he is nestled in looks strong enough to hold him in the car, but what if another car hits him or another car with a bigger dog pulls up alongside? Then there are the airbags. Great inventions to protect the driver and passenger, but children are secured in the back seat. Why? Because should the air bag deploy it can seriously hurt them. Same with your dog.
There are times when our dog goes with us, to parks, the veterinarian, and on vacation. In a perfect world he will settle down after we are on the road, but sometimes one of us ends up in the backseat with him. He has had a doggie seat belt in the past, but the last one he chewed through before I was off the ramp and onto the highway.
Our dogs may “want” to go everywhere with us, but it is up to us, as their parents, to make the right decision, the safe decision.
