# Did you know it wasn't illegal to keep a dog in a car/van?



## NOISYGIRL (11 January 2012)

Just wondered who knew? 

I was shocked when I was told this by the RSPCA !


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## Toffee44 (11 January 2012)

Mine sleep in the landrover in their crate when we stay at my parents (they are in a secure garage though). When we went camping they also slept in the car its more secure for them than a tent that Dylan if he wanted to could eat his way out of. 


Thing is though is if your dog dies in the car or is in distress then you are liable for prosecution. So I dont see why it should be illegal to keep a dog in a car with appropriate air/ water/ food/ exercise. If you were chucked out of your house and all you had was your car with your belongings in it where would you put the dog your not gonna fork out on kennel fees and rescues cant always take straight away.


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## NeverSayNever (11 January 2012)

hundreds and thousands of people have multiple dogs sleeping in the back of cars, some crated,some not and in vans at shows and competitions every weekend of the year.


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## BBH (11 January 2012)

Why would it be illigal ?

People keep dogs in cars all the time for varying times scales.


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## Cop-Pop (11 January 2012)

Why should it be illegal?


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## CorvusCorax (11 January 2012)

Mine overnight in the car all the time! They're just in a crate in a car instead of a crate in the house. Making it illegal would make competing in any sort of discipline or travelling long distances a bit tricky!!!


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## NOISYGIRL (11 January 2012)

I was just a bit shocked I suppose, hadn't thought of it that way, I was just more concerned about a dog being left on its own in a rescue van for hours, it was evening and dark so there we go I stand corrected


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## MiCsarah (11 January 2012)

Mine stay in the car alot and are not fussed at all. Had a friend whos dogs once lived in the back of her van in winter. Was lovely in there with all the beds and toys


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## CorvusCorax (11 January 2012)

Van, kennel, as long as the dog has water and ventilation. Van is probably less stressful for a dog than a huge kennel full of barking dogs, it's quieter and more secure/covered, dark = safer for a stressy dog.


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## NOISYGIRL (11 January 2012)

As I said I stand corrected and maybe it was better than where it was rescued from !  
It wasn't in a RSPCA van by the way it was in another company's rescue van.  I would presume it had water etc but I couldn't see as it was dark.  There we go I've learned something lol.

I was just thinking of my own dog, she was rehomed by us, not fussed on the car and old owners used to shut her in a cupboard when they had visitors, no idea why, she is not a bouncy springer.


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## CorvusCorax (11 January 2012)

Bear in mind a lot of rescues are full to bursting with pre and post Christmas chuck-outs and they maybe did not have immediate space for her so as you say the van is better than nothing. The van would be properly caged out and have beds in there so you would probably have nothing to worry about regarding her welfare x


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## NeverSayNever (11 January 2012)

i think its just a different concept for a lot people who havent thought about it, but think about working dogs - police, mountain rescue etc, how do you think they travel or are kept through the day when out and about?

I stayed at a travel lodge overnight once before a competition. My dogs were out last thing at night and slept in the van. Van was caged out and each dog had its own large kennel with water, duvets (!) chews and toys and my Van has a rotating air vent fitted. We were up at 5.30am and off to the comp where they would spend the day doing agility Still, a member of staff who saw me walking them first thing said, i know your dogs have been in there all night Im going to call the RSPCA! Erm... _okaaay then_. I honestly think they really thought I was being cruel. My dogs LOVE the van, they know it means FUN


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## CorvusCorax (11 January 2012)

The place where we stay a lot, the staff just roll their eyes at me when they see me going out several times a night in wellies and a big overcoat then bimble around the grounds for ten minutes cooing 'pee-peee'. Getting wobblier and merrier as the night draws on


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## Spudlet (11 January 2012)

Henry sits in his crate in the car while I teach, he's fine In summer, we park up in the shade and leave all the windows down and the tailgate open, with him in my eye-line, in the winter he's cozy out of the wind.


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## NeverSayNever (11 January 2012)

replaced the van with a pickup truck - darn dogs locked me in beside them







eta sorry its huge, you poor things, will try and resize


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## blackcob (11 January 2012)

Mine also love going in their car crate, it means we're going to some variety of training, competition or an extra special walk. 

When we adopted Ricoh he'd spent a whole weekend being transported around and living in a caged-out van with 13 other huskies, it's the norm for working dogs, they get plenty of stimulation when they're out of the van and probably appreciate being able to chill out when they're back inside it.


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## Oenoke (11 January 2012)

A couple of mine sleep in my car at agility and flyball competitions we camp at and also recently if the weather is bad or there's fireworks, it's the only place Bertie will settle at night, so he's been spending quite a few nights in my car recently.


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## ladyearl (11 January 2012)

My collie used to come out dog walking with me in my van and loved the van as much if not more than the house. I never had occasion to leave her in there for an overnight but she would have been more than happy if I had. Nice dark safe place a van )


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## TarrSteps (11 January 2012)

Mine have the whole back of a Clio - yes, I am that pathetic!  They come with me during the day so spend my working hours in the car with breaks for walks in the woods etc. - certainly beats staying home and getting two short walks a day.  I often put them in the car if I'm having workmen in or other business in the house, not because they're bad - they are not locked away if we have social guests - but because not everyone is keen on two big lurchers in a small house.  I have only had to let them sleep in the car once, in an emergency but I don't think they noticed!  The are often in the car if I'm late teaching and stumble into the house and go straight to sleep, so I suspect they just went to sleep as usual and didn't wake up until morning.


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