Heat Wave

Looks like me after my workout ;o) lol

Is anyone surprised that I complained all winter about how I couldn't wait for summer to hurry up and get here so I could get back to nice long dates with my sneakers via my much loved runs outside, and now that it's finally here I'm complaining about how hot it is?  Well if you are you shouldn't be, HELLO I'm Greek people!  We invented drama along with the windex, politics, and believe it or not yes even - complaining.  What else would we do when we sit around a table for hours upon hours at all the diners we own if not complain? ;o)

Seriously though it's a scorcher and set to only get worse before it gets any better.  Time to batten down the hatches, draw the curtains, and hunker down with the air conditioning.  This goes for everyone including the fur-kids.  Speaking of fur-kids anyone in their right mind knows that you do not tie your dog out to a tree or a dog house, or bring your dog out to do errands or go shopping with you in extreme weather.   Further to never leave a dog in a hot car in the summertime, right?...  Wrong.  Yup I just ran into a brainchild who apparently didn't get that memo and this guy actually had the audacity to stand there and argue with me about it when I went into Schooling mode Greek Girl style.

Most everyone who knows anything about me (besides my music) knows this one thing, I Love Animals, dogs in particular!  I have five dogs (yes I said five 5 - I know, I know I'm a special kind of crazy) and I will not stand for animal abuse.  Part of how I ended up with five, two of them are rescues.  I have chased dogs down  all over the country from Los Angeles, to NYC and lots of places in between.  If an animal is in need, lost, hurt, whatever I'm on it.  I can't help it, I love them and can't stand to see them suffer, especially for things that are so preventable.  It never ceases to amaze me how ignorant people can be when it comes to the care of animals and how some can turn a blind eye when one needs human help.

Living in the Hudson Valley of New York State has some neat attractions and one of those is an outlet mall called Woodbury Commons not too far from where I reside.  So I'm sure it's no shock that I frequent it often, again the Greek genes take over.  Remember Greek is also another word for Thrifty ;D In other words if I can get it for less,  that's how I'm getting it.  So I was at Woodbury Commons over the weekend scoring lots of sale loot.  As was walking back to my car I saw in the car parked right next to mine a big old beagle in the back of a giant old station wagon.  The windows were rolled down, and he did have water, but that is irrelevant.  It was 99 Degrees outside.  About noon smack dab in the hottest part of the day, and this clown was walking around and about the outlet alone, then making trips back to the car to check on his dog.  Meanwhile the dog is sitting in the car panting, and basically cooking.

I waited about twenty minutes when I first spotted the dog for him to come back to the car and asked him about it.  He proceeded to tell me "well the windows are rolled down and he has water, mind your own business".  I then proceeded explain to him that in New York State there is a law against leaving animals in parked cars in extreme weather and then to hand him a "you could be cooking your dog card" that I carry in my glove box for just incase such an occasion ever occurs.  He was so angry he was getting grumpy and started to take it out on the dog.  So I did what any good Samaritan would do, yup I called security.

Well after fifteen more long hot minutes security finally arrived and I told them what I observed and they informed him of the law and took it from there.  After a bit more talking with the security officer he got in his car and left.  I was annoyed that they did not actually call the real police and site him with a ticket.  What upsets me even more is this dog is not the only one who will be sitting in a hot car while some yahoo for whatever reason is out galavanting.  Seriously... if you see a dog in a car in the hot weather, please do something.  It might take a few minutes out of your day, but you could be saving a life.  The life of an animal who can't speak for them self, who only wants one thing in life to be safe and loved.

Here's a link to some of the states with laws on the books about animals in parked cars: http://animallaw.info/articles/State%20Tables/tbusdogshotcars.htm   So heavens sake please keep your fur-kids inside, cool, safe and with plenty of water.  If not I'll have to send "Punkin" Aston out to find you and send you straight to jail without passing GO! ;)

Keep your fur-kids cool and safe or "Punkin" will come to lay down the law!

Blessings, Love & Music ~

Ava :D
www.avaaston.com