Why do people insist on bringing their dogs and leaving them in
the car when they go shopping? This is never a good idea, even if
parked in the shade with the windows cracked. The temperatures
inside the car can become deadly in just a few minutes. Last week,
I went to Costco and some good Samaritan had called the police as a
dog was in distress, left in the car, on one of the hottest days.
Can you tell me what the police can do in that situation? Perhaps
if more people read this they will realize that they are not doing
their best friend a favor by taking them along when they go to the
store, even for a few minutes.
It’s never a good idea to lock animals in a car
“Why do people insist on bringing their dogs and leaving them in the car when they go shopping? This is never a good idea, even if parked in the shade with the windows cracked. The temperatures inside the car can become deadly in just a few minutes. Last week, I went to Costco and some good Samaritan had called the police as a dog was in distress, left in the car, on one of the hottest days. Can you tell me what the police can do in that situation? Perhaps if more people read this they will realize that they are not doing their best friend a favor by taking them along when they go to the store, even for a few minutes.”
Dear Animal Lover,
Red Phone agrees. Though Red Phone’s Red Dog died several years ago and has yet to be replaced, she was treated as a member of the family. And no family member should be left to roast in a hot car. Red Phone contacted San Martin veterinarian and Dispatch columnist Pete Keesling, who wrote about the issue in March. Here’s a portion of what he said.
“It’s time for us to take a stand. Every one of us needs to become proactive and do something to stop stupid people from inadvertently injuring or killing their pets. There are too many people like this fellow that think it’s all right to leave their pet in a car in the sun. I don’t care how cool it is outside. A closed car heats up in the sun in a big hurry. It’s NOT all right to leave any animal in a parked car in the sun. And if you see something like this, it’s your duty to report it. Call the police. Let’s put a stop to this. End of story.”
Thank you Dr. Pete. To read the entire column, go to the Lifestyles section at www.gilroydispatch.com/lifestyles.
Bird deterrents deter tranquility
“Red Phone, I live in unincorporated Gilroy by New Avenue and Buena Vista Avenue and noticed this year someone shooting off air canons as a bird deterrent. It’s annoying as hell. It sounds like a gun going off every 30 to 40 seconds. What’s the rule on that? How many cannons, how early, how loud? Is there such a rule?”
Dear Annoyed as Hell,
Red Phone contacted Santa Clara County Sheriff Deputy Gabe Sandoval, who works the rural crime beat. He said he’s been to the small cherry orchard you are referring to, caller, and that the noise should cease as soon as his cherries have been picked. The guns do keep birds away from ripening fruit. And, yes there are noise ordinances, however tools and implements used in farming are exempt, he said. So the farmer can start his tractor and plow his field before others are allowed to begin work, and the decibel level can be higher than the ordinance calls for.
So good caller, stay patient. At least the noise will eventually cease and you can resume your quiet rural lifestyle.
Fix the light at Miller and First
“A Miller Avenue resident here. When is the city going to come back and fix the stoplight they were fiddle faddling with a couple of weeks back at the corner of First and Miller. Now when you go south on Miller from First Street, you don’t know if the green light on the turn light is even shining. There’s going to be a wreck there.”
Dear Get it Fixed,
Red Phone contacted Traffic Engineer Don Dey, who said that intersection is under the jurisdiction of Caltrans. Dey said the city has contacted Caltrans and will do so again.
“I know residents may get frustrated, but we are not allowed to touch their equipment,” Dey said. Caltrans is responsible for all traffic signals along Leavesely – which is also part of Highway 152 – down southbound Monterey Street to First Street, then First Street west all the way to Santa Teresa Boulevard and on through Hecker Pass to Watsonville.
To file a complaint or notify the agency of outages or other problems, call Caltrans during regular office hours at (415) 330-6500, or at (510) 286-6359 on evenings, weekend and holidays.
So good caller, good luck. Let Red Phone know if things are fixed soon.
