*CLIMBS ON SOAP BOX*

The high temperature in Lafayette reached 81 degrees yesterday. Comfortable, yes. But still warm.

Which is why when we pulled into a parking lot and saw a dog inside a car with no windows rolled down, our blood immediately started to boil well above the 81 degree temps outside. As it turns out, this particular pooch’s owner was inside the fabric store — for at least 15 minutes after we got there. Who knows how long the owner was inside before we got there.

We called Animal Control. We took pictures of the cute little pooch trapped inside. And we politely confronted the owner when they returned to the car. We got a shoulder shoved into us as they owner made their way into their vehicle and drove off. Animal Control arrived after they left.

While we’d like nothing more than to publicly shame this particular owner, that doesn’t do anything except make us look like bullies. And it misses the point. So, we’re using our soap box to use this incident to say PEOPLE: DON’T DO THIS! DON’T LEAVE YOUR PETS — be they dog, cat, pig, snake, chicken, whatever — IN A COMPLETELY LOCKED UP VEHICLE! If you must take your pets with you, please leave the windows opened a bit so they can get fresh air and so, when it’s 81 degrees outside, the vehicle doesn’t get too hot inside. Better yet, when it’s over 80, leave Fido at home in the peace and comfort of modern air conditioning.

*CLIMBS DOWN FROM SOAP BOX*