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Credit: Opposite-Spare8637, RedditWhen planning a vacation to a place like Disneyland Resort in Southern California, there are a lot of things that have to be considered.
Are you driving there, or flying? Will you splurge and stay at one of the three hotels on property, or will you stay off property at a Good Neighbor hotel? Will you purchase Park Hopper tickets, or just visit one park per day? What’s your budget for things like food and merchandise? It’s a lot to think about and can feel overwhelming at times.
For guests who have pets, getting them proper care is an extra step in the planning process. Unlike Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort does not have a kennel. However, several pet-friendly hotels are in the area, and guests can always reach out to Disneyland Guest Information for help finding care for their four-legged friend.
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Unfortunately, even with all the pet care options available — between pet-friendly hotels, asking friends or family for help, or using a website like Rover — some guests don’t seem to give their pets much consideration. That can leave these vulnerable animals in very dangerous situations, relying on the kindness of strangers to help them.
Reddit user Opposite-Spare8637 recently visited The Happiest Place on Earth and was shocked at what they heard while walking through the Mickey & Friends parking structure. According to their post, they heard a dog barking, and when they finally found the pup, he was panting heavily and appeared to be struggling.
wtf is wrong with people?? it reached 90° today and at 8pm it’s still 80°. they left the windows cracked and a food and water bowl in the backseat, so they planned the dog to stay in there for hours on end. dog was barking its head off too and panting so much. it’s so sad. this was in the mickey and friends parking garage
someone left their dog in the car
byu/Opposite-Spare8637 inDisneyland
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Late August and early September are typically some of the hottest days of the year, and this year is no exception. According to the OP (Original Poster), temperatures had reached 90 degrees that day, and it was still 80 degrees when they spotted the dog. Thankfully, OP acted quickly and contacted Disney security, who didn’t hesitate to come to the rescue.
OP kept commenters updated and said that security asked them to give the dog space, and they were trained to handle those kinds of situations. So, OP and his party left the dog in capable hands. They also noted that the car had South Dakota license plates, so it appeared they had brought their dog on the road trip. We do not know how long the dog had been left in the hot car.
The OP also said that they wanted to call the police, but wasn’t sure if that would make things worse.
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What some people might not think about is how hot it can get in a car compared to the outside temperature. If the temperature reaches 90 degrees, the inside of a car can reach 133° in just 60 minutes. The OP said the outside temperature was about 80° when they took the photo, and a car can reach the dangerous temperature of 123° in under an hour.
One commenter also noted that it is illegal to leave a pet in a car in the state of California if doing so would “endanger the health of the animal.”
Per the California Penal Code 597.7 it is illegal to leave an animal in a car if by doing so you endanger the health or well-being of the animal. Do not leave an animal in your car during hot or warm weather. Other factors to consider are if the car is in the sun and if the windows are rolled up not allowing ventilation. Your best course is to leave your pet at home when you run errands.
Related: Dog Dies After Guest Allegedly Leaves It in Car All Day at Disney World
Sadly, this is not the first time an irresponsible guest has left a dog alone in the car while they spent time at Disney. While Disney security has been able to step in and rescue many of these animals, the outcome has not always been a good one.
Last summer, a guest visiting Disney Springs at Walt Disney World made the news when it was discovered he had left four puppies in the car while his family went to get dinner at one of the restaurants. The puppies were rushed to the Animal Kingdom Animal Hospital, but even after attempting life-saving care, one of the puppies was unable to recover and had to be euthanized.
The puppies were not returned to the guest and were eventually adopted by Disney World firefighters.
When it comes to the dog left in the car recently at Disneyland, we do not know what happened to the guest or the pup. Thankfully, Disney security was able to get to it, and hopefully, it suffered no long-term effects of being left in a hot car. We also do not know if the police were called, if the guests were arrested, or if the dog was returned to them.
For many people, pets are family, and they can’t imagine ever doing anything that would put their furry friend in danger. Sadly, not every guest shows the same kind of care and concern for the animals that they are supposed to keep safe.
Are you shocked that guests will still leave their animals in a hot car and spend the day in a Disney theme park? How do you think Disney security should handle these guests? Should the police be called? Should the guest be arrested? Should they have their animal returned to them? Share your thoughts on this disturbing act with us in the comments.