Dallas fire and police were called to the scene of a vehicle, parked in a parking lot, with dogs apparently in the trunk. The firefighters forced entry to the trunk to find two yorkshire terriers.
The temperature was 61 degrees. The call came in from two brothers who were concerned when they heard the barking coming from a car parked.
The owners were celebrating a birthday.
They are being charged with animal cruelty and up to a $10,000 fine.
Dallas Firefighters (either the dept. or the City) are being sued by the couple $5000 for damage to their vehicle.
The dogs, Penny and Copper, are just fine.
Were the firefighters justified? What would you have done?
“I put them back there because I didn’t want them in the cabin, because they will unlock the door,” Shipman said. “Those pups cost about $1,000 each. I don’t want somebody to just reach in there and steal them.”
Should have either left them at home or bought a crate to put them in. You should NEVER put your dogs in the trunk of a car! And the fire department was justified in using whatever means necessary to get into that trunk to get those dogs out! Never seen a “family member” treated like that by someone that “loves” them.
DFD was 100% correct in freeing the dogs from the trunk and DPD was 100% correct in the charging the jerk owners……as far as any lawsuit goes…..they will be lucky to even get through the first se tep, which is filing it….these people are idiots…..
*first step
well i guess maybe you should lock the owners in their car trunk and not let them out when they start screaming for help see if they change their outlook on the situation. i as a firefighter would have done the same thing these guys did. Forcible Entry would have been my path.
Cruelty to animals “YES”, Fire Department in the wrong “NO”.
If these dogs are so important, and you think of them as your family, children, etc, then why leave them in the trunk. WOULD YOU LEAVE YOUR CHILD IN THE TRUNK???????? I think not. Judge should dismiss the Lawsuit, and go after the dog owners.
If this lawsuit is founded and awarded, will be another example of how criminals can get away with almost anything, and how the law abiding citizens, or Police officers, or any other public service can not perform there jobs without getting sued……what a way for the justice system to evolve…..
That is ridiculous! If it was two children they would not have locked them in there. If they are like family then they should have taken better care of them. What if god forbid someone would have hit the parked car in the rear? Some people shouldn’t own pets!
Either leave the dogs at home. DFD should NOT settle and the judge should levy a fine for a pointless lawsuit.
they do not deserve these dogs
If youlove them like they claim they do they shoulda left them home where they just as happy . I don’t feel the fire dept did wron. Good job guys
as a firefighter and fire chief, i would of done the same thing, those firefighters did the right thing, what? go find the owners and ask for the keys? they were dispatched out and did what they had to do by any means necessary, the owners of the dogs should of left them home or crated as mentioned by others. how dare they file suit against them!! lets stick them in the trunk for a while and see how it feels
Think the owners should take their lawsuit and, well you know, also the owners should not be allowed to have pets let alone children !
HAVE THESE IDIOTS EVER HEARD OF A PET PORTER? IF YOU ARE SO OBSESSED WITH YOUR DOGS THAT IT’S OUT OF THE QUESTION TO LEAVE THEM AT HOME… PUT THEM IN A PET PORTER, IN THE CABIN OF THE CAR, CRACK THE WINDOW FOR AIR, AND LOCK THE DOORS. THE TRUNK OF THE CAR IS NO PLACE FOR A FAMILY MEMBER… WOULD YOU PUT YOUR CHILDREN IN THE TRUNK? OR YOUR NAPPING GRANDMA? SUE THE FIREFIGHTERS WHO WERE ASSISTING A CONCERNED CITIZEN WHO WAS MORE WORRIED ABOUT THE WELL-BEING OF YOUR DOGS THAN YOU WERE ?? I THINK NOT!!
They should have left the dogs at home, maybe we should have checked for a keyholeer before forcing the vehicle open. 61f. Isn’t that hot
61 f with a fur coat on locked in a trunk with no air flow could kill an animal
I think the morons should be thrown in jail for cruelty to animals,, Kudos to the Fire Fighters, I would have done the same,,
If The judge sides with the couple, I will lose all confidence in our Justice system,
Lock them in the trunk!!! See how they like it!!! I am a fire fighter and an animal lover!!! I would have done the same thing sevenfold!!! This whole lawsuit bullcrap is just that bullcrap and judge in his right mind wouldnt even see the case through the application process…
Fire fighters Oath; Save lives first then protect property.
Should put the owners in the truck and walk away!!!!!
this is a lawsuit that WILL NEVER happen,or if it does then the presiding judge needs to be evaluated on his or her performance on the bench,,,how f*****g rediculous,and how dare they try to sue the dept.I agree with the fact that they have no business owning pets…PERIOD.
I think that the dogs should of been left home period due to the fact that it is against the law to leave a dog or child in the car i is alot hotter in the car than it is at home. my personal opinion is that the dogs should be taken away. dogs are family they are not property that dont have feelings i honestly think that people who miss treat any animals ahould be arrested no if and or buts about it…….
Last was from people who care
Pet owners, the Public, and Firefighters obviously need to clean up their act.
Distraction:
Transporting dogs in an airplane is basically leaving them in the trunk. Just because it is travelling makes it no less hospitable. Continental Airlines out-kills the other airlines in pet transporting deaths at about 1 per 10,000 pets transported.
The caller, not the fire department is liable for the damage. By initiating an irrevocable chain of events “johnny q public” foisted uncontrollable resources into damaging that car.
I can gain entry to most cars without $5,000 in damage. Coat hanger replaced my slim-jim decades ago. Worse case: Two bent screwdrivers can pop a windshield out, and a tube of sealant you can put it back in. Cost $3.00.
Transporting animals on a plain is in a climate controlled environment dumb ass.
I guess even labeling it “distraction” failed to dissuade irrelevant rebuttals.
A little research, and a lot less hostility would determine that “most” airlines, on “many” flights have climate controls.
Leaving the rest uncontrolled.
Also turning on the climate control is typically not done while on the tarmac – delays are deadly.
Plane that is…
Ship this over to Curt.
I’ll put my money that the owners have some sort of punishment (probably a fine) for animal cruelty.
As far as entry, Here’s my question: How did DFD gain entry to the trunk? Did they do it through the cabin or through the trunk hatch itself? Unless they took the K12 to the hatch, I don’t see how there could be $5k worth of damage.
Dogs were fine in trunk. We used to travel with our dog in trunk, never harmed. If it had been a sweltering day, that would have been one thing, but it wasn’t. Temperature was fine, plenty of air for the dogs (seat was tilted ajar), read story. I’d sue the hell out of the city for damaging the vehicle.
FF’s absolutely justified in doing what they did…and I seriously doubt that any damage would be worth $5000!