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'Angry cattle dog' left in vehicle at Darien Lake

By Howard B. Owens

A deputy is in the parking lot of Darien Lake Theme Park investigating a complaint of a dog left in the car.

"It's a very angry cattle dog who isn't going to be taken out of this car without somebody being seriously hurt," the deputy tells dispatch.

He said the windows are tinted and the owner put a blanket in the front windshield to help keep the heat out.

There was a water bowl left in the car, but it's now empty.

Although "angry," the dog is described as in good spirits and not in any distress.

Darien Lake security is going to attempt to locate the owner in the park.

UPDATE 2:52 p.m.: Security is going to keep an eye on the animal and if it shows signs of distress, contact animal control.

Jennifer Keys

Thanks for leaving it some water, but SERIOUSLY, according to the marquis in front of the Stafford Fire Hall it's 93 degrees out. I can't imagine being trapped in a car right now. It's bad enough being trapped outside.

May 28, 2012, 2:52pm Permalink
Lisa Falkowski

What a moron - the owner. That dog should be taken away immediately and permanently. Can't they run the plates and have the owner paged? Angry? I'd be angry, too, if I was penned up in a car on a day like today. Not in distress? Well, let's wait until the poor animal dies from heat exhaustion! Really? It doesn't sound like anyone in this scenario is working with a full deck. Get that dog out of there!!!

Sorry ... heat affecting my brain ... angry, but in good spirits? WTH? OMG!

Something happens to that dog - not only should the owner beheld liable, so should Darien Lake security! You don't wait for signs of distress in this heat to call animal control! Who says they will get there in a timely manner? How can you tell how long the animal will have to live in heat like this. The whole bunch is nuts!

As an animal lover, I will be following up on this story!

Would you do the same for a child? Duh!

May 28, 2012, 3:11pm Permalink
Cory Hawley

It could be only 70 out. When the sun beats down on something with windows and no vents, it's going to get unbearably hot in there - greenhouse effect. This is absolutly ridiculous. Towns/Cities/villages are hurting for money, so they say. So then fine these idiots and others who do this.

May 28, 2012, 3:15pm Permalink
Paula Ferraro

This doesn't set well with me either. Whether its a quick run into wilson farms for milk or a day at Darien Lake it just isn't right. Especially on a 90+ day. Not sure how they're keeping track of his level of distress... are they taking his vitals? I would think by the time he shows visible signs it's too late. If it were me, I would have slim jimmed Cujo out of there long ago. But I don't see animals as possessions. I know some people do.

May 28, 2012, 3:20pm Permalink
Lisa Falkowski

Paula - I'm with you. How can you tell what's going on with that dog? All that fur? It could burn up from the inside out and no one would know it was in "distress" until it was dead! I'm furious and very concerned. On a day like today, no one needs the added aggravation, but I so badly want to go over there and rescue that dog. How in the hell can they tell it's not angry from burning up inside that car? OMG!

May 28, 2012, 3:23pm Permalink
Gerard Waite

They need the county sheriff there or animal control not just Darien lake security. sorry read that wrong a deputy is there. something needs to be done NOW.

May 28, 2012, 3:32pm Permalink
Lori Silvernail

Someone needs to smash the most expensive to fix window out of that car. Hell, break ALL of them and get that dog out. Take that dog to a shelter or somewhere and charge those people with animal abuse. The best punishment would be to put them into a car in these temps with just the same amount of water they left that dog. This is sickening

May 28, 2012, 3:41pm Permalink
Frank Bartholomew

If someone isn't smart enough not to leave a dog in the car in this heat, they have no business owning one.
Get the dog out of the car and do not return it to the owners.

May 28, 2012, 4:08pm Permalink
Lisa Schwab

This is so sick and twisted I hope someone in the police dept. pay these people a visit right at their front door. In that visit I hope they take that dog from them and check their home for other pet abuse. That poor dog did not deserve that treatment today and that officer in my thoughts should have done what ever he had to do to get him out of the car or find those people to get to their car right away!!!! Sorry Go above and over to save that poor dog!!!!

May 28, 2012, 6:49pm Permalink
Lori Silvernail

I read that PETA says that on a sunny 78 degree day, the inside of a car can become as hot as 117 degrees. They also say that a dog can only live in that for around 15 minutes because of their fur and they only have the ability to sweat through their feet. I never had my own dog and don't want one, but if you're going to have a pet at least put them before your own selfish wants.

These people were so desperate to go to Darien Lake on this sweltering day that they just "had" to bring their dog along instead of leaving it home alone? I wish we'd hear that the Sheriff's got that dog out and that the people were charged. It would also be nice if all of the local TV stations were there to show their dumb mugs while they were being arrested...

May 28, 2012, 7:03pm Permalink
Bob Price

Really????? This idiot HAD to bring their dog to Darien Lake on the hottest day of year so far,no shade???? Why didn't the deputy run the plate and get car owners name???? I have an A/C thermometer stuck in my car's vent and it was well above 120,closer to 140 w/ windows rolled up. Animal control needs to visit this moron and remove the animal from the home. As far as breaking windows....as much as you want to help dog or animal,more than likely the animal will perceive you as an intruder and attack you,possibly injuring you. I for one cannot afford any excess medical bills/possible complications.If this person is this ignorant,how do you know tha animal has had all it's proper vaccinations???? Then you possibly would face criminal charges for damaging property......

May 28, 2012, 10:02pm Permalink
John Woodworth JR

Bleeding hearts TP? It is call being humane and responsible. How would you deal with being left in a car with little water, wearing a fur coat (in your case long sleeve shirt and jeans) with little ventilation? Would you leave your child in those conditions? I am a dog owner myself; yes I have left my dog in the car for 5-10 minutes with all the windows down and a bowl of water. Bob is right if, the wrong person reaches in a car, one may be bit. My pup is friendly when she sees that I am not threaten and socializing with people. She has snapped at some of my friends when they reach in my car and I am not acknowledging them. Yes, Police have the ability to run the plates. However, it may be a rental or a friend's/family member's vehicle. I am sure they knew who the owner was. Heck, I served with K-9 units in the Middle East where it gets 130 degree. They have their dogs in that heat for 30 minutes and then rest the dog.

This idiot was stupid to bring the dog to Darien Lake to begin with. I agree that this individual should answer to this. Leaving a dog for a few minutes is one thing and I doubt highly that this individual was only there for a few minutes.

BTW, Hope everyone had a Good Memorial Day! POW-MIA: You Are Not Forgetten.

May 29, 2012, 2:54am Permalink
Kyle Couchman

I have 2 pets of my own however, I too found the outrage and comments a little overboard too. I see that efforts to reduce the dog stress go overlooked, like blanketing the window to provide shade, water in a bowl etc. Lori's quoting PETA that dogs only sweat through their feet isnt the only source of cooling their panting is also a cooling behavior. There are alot of other factors as well. My impression of the dog being decribed as a cattle dog and very vicious was a factor in dealing with this problem. It doesnt say also if the windows were cracked or not which can keep temps from building up too.

I agree that the responsible people people should be charged with abuse regardless, but advocating smashing the most expensive window, or putting them in a car with the same amount of water is way beyond reasonable. Perhaps the next time you have a run in with law enforcement over say an expired inspection, or maybe dwai ( people do take medicine and drive not thinking of how it can affect their ability) or any other type of thing, would it be fair for the officer to handcuff you and keep you the maximum time they can before charging you w anything or other harsh treatment?

Nope I'm sure you would expect to be given a break, so maybe think before you go into verbal coniption fits, because it's people like you who overreact that take all the credibilty from orgs like PETA and ASPCA by your comments and behavior.

May 29, 2012, 9:54am Permalink
Lori Silvernail

Go ahead and blanket ALL the windows, crack them ALL down... then sit in your car for a while. You have hands and could find something to fan yourself. You could break yourself out of the car if it got too intolerable. Dogs have no options to do either.

There shouldn't have been any "efforts" put in place yesterday to keep the dog from overheating or dying. It shouldn't have been in the car when the outside temps were above 90 to begin with!

I didn't take any credibility away from PETA by my comments. The information came from their site, thank you.

If I was to break the law, I'd take my punishment. But it ain't gonna happen, so the point is moot.

A reasonable assumption can be made from the inferences, that if this would have been a baby many of us would still be bleeding hearts. Dogs are every bit as helpless as a baby.

And with this post, I'm done. It appears that there are those of us on the side of the defenseless dog, and those on the side of the careless insensitive owners.

May 29, 2012, 10:07am Permalink
Lisa Falkowski

A smashed "expensive" window would be a consequence of the owner's own stupidity. Not so out of hand.

Howard - any idea what happened to this animal? I certainly hope he/she is ok.

May 29, 2012, 11:18am Permalink
tom hunt

Let us keep this in perspective; what we are talking about is a dog, an animal. Yes it is somebody's pet who did a stupid act by locking it up in a hot car. When you start talking about destroying an individual property as retaliation, you are now getting into a criminal realm. Think with your head, not with your heart.

May 29, 2012, 1:45pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

Lori just an FYI I worked for many years as a merchandiser for Goya foods which involved alot of over the road driving in my own vehicle (a 93 Pontiac Transport Minivan) and believe it or not it had no air conditioning. But I had many summer days in excess of 100 degrees that I had to pull over and nap in the vehicle as I wasover 8 hours on the road. Guess what? Night and Day difference between just pulling over crawling into the back and napping vs blocking the windows and opening then up a crack and really prepping the car to stay cooler. So for all your overdramatization I have put myself in that position. With widows cracked the heat can't build up as fast. If the car vents are opened the heat escaping from the open parts at the top of the windows generates a breeze even that causes a bit of cooling.....not much but much diff then having them all the way up.

Again as pointed out while I believe in protecting animals, your reactions ae still very overboard and THAT is how you destroy the credibility of Aspca and Peta, because when people tend to hear hysterical rants like your they tend to tune it out, and then they start tuning out others that sound like it as well. Pretty soon you labeled as a pet nut and anything you say that has to do with protecting them from abuse becomes tainted in others opinions. Obviously you dont get that but hey just pointing it out, maybe when you are rational and can step back from the emotionial dramatics and truly look at this you might see my point. Otherwise I guess we will agree to disagree on this.

May 29, 2012, 3:03pm Permalink
Gabor Deutsch

Give the owner a bowl of water and let said owner sit in car for a few hours. Like the Sheriffs don't have enough things to do than monitor the bad judgement of an animal owner. SAD!

May 29, 2012, 3:14pm Permalink

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