Posted on 09/25/2019 1:28:22 PM PDT by Jagermonster
“That’s my car!” shouted Ross Hunt as he sprinted toward a policeman standing near his Tesla Model S.
Mr. Hunt had left his toy poodle, Loki, in the car on a hot day. A small crowd had gathered. But he wasn’t worried about his dog: He thought they were about to smash the car window, reported the Independent.
Endangering the health of a pet by locking it in the car on a hot, or cold, day in the U.S. is illegal in at least 28 states. Even so, last year, 58 pets died in cars, reports People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Mr. Hunt, of Dublin, was charged with violating Ireland’s Animal, Health and Welfare Act.
Dear Loki was never in danger. As Mr. Hunt explained in court this month, his Tesla was in “Dog Mode.” That’s an ingenious new feature that runs the air conditioner while the owner is away. But in an electric car, it’s almost silent. Tesla owners can monitor the temperature with an app on their phone. If the battery charge falls to 20 percent, the app alerts the owner.
Loki enjoyed a comfortable 68 degrees F. and the judge dismissed the charges. But electric and hybrid car owners say this happens a lot.
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
A sticker on the window might be in order.
I hope Tesla owners consider displaying a sign that the car is in dog mode.
Video shows the dashboard display indicating “dog mode” and the in-car temperature.
“I had to print signs for every window explaining that the car is constantly monitored and that the A/C is on after having to deal with the police three times in as many weeks. People don’t notice the display. I bought plastic frames with suction cups off of amazon to hold the signs. Thankfully, the cops were nice each time, although one insisted on actually getting into the car to check the temperature,” wrote one owner in a Tesla forum.
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He’d be better off leaving the dog at home. Or do like us Americans do and claim Loki as a Service Animal. And take him inside anyplace.
From later on in the article, that is what people are doing. Displaying “dog mode” and the temperature on the center console display screen aren’t enough.
Yeah, a sticker would help.
But I had some people who were upset because my date left a minature poodle in a car with the windows rolled up when the temperatures were in the 70’s, it was evening and overcast.
My Tesla has had this feature for months. Free upgrade after purchase of the car.
The wife sometimes has lots of fresh produce in the car after food shopping but can turn this feature on while making a couple of stops on the way home.
Everything is cool and fresh when she gets all of this back to the house.
See post 6.
It’s a great idea! Why can’t they do it for children?
Yes, I like that. Nice...
Because dogs don’t contribute to climate change. /s
:) It’s a great idea. It’s just too limited.
It will probably become a mandatory safety feature.
Right. I'm afraid that owners using "dog mode" are going to be hassled so much as to make it not worthwhile.
And that bit of visible info is to be regarded or seen by a generation or two who were raised by people who couldn't figure out how to set the clock on their VCRs?
He needs to make himself a little sign that states the car is in dog mode thus the A/C/ is running and dog is fine.
I hope so!
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