DON'T LEAVE YOUR DOG IN THE CAR ON A HOT SUNNY DAY

Here's a salutary warning from one dog who survived to tell the tale.
(First hand advice given by Maggie Johnson Lane of NW6 London (dictated to Dawn)

My name is Maggie Johnson Lane. I am 16 years of age and I have the maturity and first hand experience of a situation to be able to tell you my story with authority. I am a rescue pup second time around. My present owners, Dawn and Richard adopted me after a tragic accident in France ten years ago that left me near death's door. My previous owners were elderly and through a stroke of bad luck, my friend, Scamp and I got locked in the car in France for four hours, in temperatures of 86 degrees
It was hell! I honestly thought that I was going to die in those microwave conditions. I tore off all my nails by frantically trying to scratch my way out of that steambox and the more desperate I became, the hotter the temperature was.  In the end, the french break down service smashed the window and got me and my Scamp out.  I can tell you we were both very poorly, very dehyderated and at death's door. The memory of that experience will haunt me for a very long time.  I  still get panic attacks if I am left alone in the car for more than 20 minutes.

After that fateful day I sort of went looney. I would walk around in circles; I became so bloated that Dawn said I looked fit to burst; my fur fell out in big chunks and left me patchy and looking quite unappealing.  It was decided that the kindest thing to do was to euthanise me.  But my angels were watching over me, because Dawn came to the rescue (she's a healer you know), and she offered to adopt me and make me better. During the months that followed she gave me daily reiki sessions and acupressure.  Those were so relaxing. I slept for hours and each day I became mentally and physically stronger.  I started to appreciate my food and although I couldn't see properly because the trauma had made me  partially lose my sight, Dawn perservered with homeopathy,  large doses of tender, loving care and good food to help me get back to normal.
I am now totally blind but my life isnt so bad as long as I am in familiar territory. I have everything I want. I have my own trolley that the vet calls "the ambulance" because I sometimes have to share it with other old ladies when we visit him.  But the trolley gets a lot of attention in the park from humans and dogs. The humans coo and pet me and the boy dogs pay homage by lifting their legs on it! Its a good way to take the air and make new friends.

My favourite past times these days are eating, sleeping, eating, (in that order), listening to music. My taste is varied and according to my mood, I enjoy a little soothing Poocini, or some rock music - Bone Jovi, Bonio, Meatabix, Muttilica, Macflea and Snoop Dogg Dogg are my particuar favourites. When I had my eye sight, I used to watch a choice of dvds. My collection included Top Bone, Hound of Music, Lady and the Tramp, or the Beagle Has Landed, and occasionally Pup Fiction (too violent for me now). My all-time favourite was The Dog Father.  I could never watch enough of Dogtor Who on telly. I do miss all of that! Occasionally my owner logs onto sites like Pawsnet and Talk to the Paw just to find out what is happening in the canine world and she will read out interesting bits to me.

Keith Butt, my vet at Kynance Veterinary Clinic 0208 589 2019 said I had become morbidly obese due to the trauma of the accident and Dawn tried every different type of food to control my weight and allergies.  If you showed me a tin of dog food I  would gain 5 kilos! Mind you, even if they  had fitted me with a gastric band, I would never have had the will power to say "No thanks but Ive had a gastric band fitted" and will happily hoover up anything edible.  I can honestly say, paw on heart, that my life has changed. I am happier, more secure and the trauma of that accident is a distant memory.

I get showered with gifts  and treats and my latest acquisition is a pink Chewnel bag for all my grooming gear. For special occasions I wear a lovely Sniffany collar and matching lead.  I am also on a sheet of Royal Mail stamps.  When a stamp goes on a letter, Dawn always writes on the envelope "Maggie filling in for the Queen".  I get plenty of cuddles. All in all, I have a lot to be thankful for.

The whole point of my tale is to warn you about the dangers of leaving dogs in cars on a hot and sunny day. I cannot stress enough about how uncomfortable a hot car can be if you are wearing a fur coat. It may only read  2 degrees inside the car but to us dogs it feels like 100 degrees. That's when I start panting heavily, dribbling and getting anxious. Leaving a window open half an inch does no good at all, Im afraid.  If you park the car under a shady tree the sun moves around and within minutes the rays will be beating down onto the tin roof generating heat like a sauna.
I had a friend named Tansy, a little rescue Jack Russell, who died a horrible death from being locked in the car. Her owner did all the right things - big bowls of water, under a shady tree, windows open a little but by the end of the afternoon, the sun moved around and the heat in the car boiled poor Tansy to death. Her distraught owner came back to see her bleeding from every orifice. It was horrible.
So, please ask your friends and relatives not to leave their dogs in a hot car for even 5 minutes because invariably that becomes 20 minutes.
If you see an unattended dog  in a car, in full sunshine, panting heavily, call the Police.  Don't feel bad about being called a stalinist snitch for reporting the owners, that action could save a dog's life.
Lots of licks,
Maggie

Hot, sunny days are forecast for the next few days so enjoy for as long as it lasts, and until the next blog..... enjoy this video of a dog who prefers his pool to be indoors.


Dawn (")