July 21, 2008
Dogs Left in Car Cause Upper West Side Uproar
A number of people who saw at least six dogs were left in a sweltering car--with the windows closed-- were so outraged that they, per WABC 7 Eyewitness News, "liberated the animals and then blasted their owner" on Saturday afternoon.
Upper West Side residents claimed the dogs had been alone in the car for more than an hour, and, after watching the pups pant away, finally one person let the dogs out (it's unclear if a car door was unlocked). Then they put the dogs on leashes to walk them and gave them water. Which was very disconcerting for the dogs' owner, Philomena McNamara; upon her return, she tried to take her dogs back but one neighbor refused.
If you watch the video, you'll see the police stopping McNamara from leaving, not to mention some choice words exchanged between the residents and McNamara. She was eventually given a summons for animal cruelty and her dogs were taken to a shelter. McNamara also told the WABC 7 that "it was poor judgement on her part but neighbors overreacted." And here are summer tips from the ASPCA, which says animals should never be left in cars, even with windows left open.
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Good for them for letting the dogs out.
(WOOF! WOOF WOOF WOOF!)
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honestly: good on people for not simply walking about from a situation they knew to be wrong. I'm sure if McNamara were kept in a car with no way to get herself out and no air conditioning this past weekend that she would not view it as simply poor judgment.
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Good god, I hope that woman does not have children. And if she did, that she'd have more sense with them than her pets.
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I applaud the neighbors for showing more compassion for these animals than their owner did.
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I had hot dogs for lunch.
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How great that the neighbors actually got involved! It's not a typical story in this city. Hopefully, the dogs will find more suitable owners.
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Congrats for stepping in. I think a little over-reaction can be forgiven, in this case. I'm glad the authorities agreed and took action.
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LOL, kurteye
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seriously? 7 dogs!? There is something wrong with this sorry excuse for a woman. I wonder how they got the dogs out. Hurray that they did. Those pups look extra cute too. I'll take one!
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more entitlement from both sides.
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Who would let those beasts pant and slobber all over their car's interior? That's just gross!
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That woman is too stupid or callously indifferent to have dogs. If those people hadn't intervened, she'd have corpses, not pets.
I'm glad the police got involved and were sensible. It's a pity they couldn't manage to leave McNamara unattended in a locked car for a couple of hours. That's what she needs to be able to appreciate the affects of her actions.
I'm happy that the dogs are OK. I hope they get adopted by good, caring people.
This kind of story makes me sick. The best thing about it is that people in my old neighborhood came to the rescue. Hooray for them!
As for McNamara, maybe she'll learn something from this, but I really doubt it.
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Anyone who has 7 dogs is probably nuts.
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I think people who leave their dogs tied up outside restaurants or stores should have the same thing happen.
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Would be more satisfying if neighbors had to smash a window to let the dogs out.
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I love dogs, Loove them, l-u-v.
But there is something discomforting about the righteousness of these neighbors (sorry).
It makes me think there are other issues between the neighbors and this woman. If there aren't, then I just want to remind everybody that where people seem to get way bent bent out of shape about dogs in a hot car, a man gets run under by speeding traffic in Hartford and a psyche patient dies in plain view of medical staff and patients and it's no place for meddling...
...with that said - and leaving the dogs-in-oven-car aside - anyone who crams 7 dogs into a typical New York apartment deserves to have them taken away, anyway.
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I see problems. Lotsa problems. Let's count. Has 7 dogs. Drives an SUV. A bad hair cut. Protruding belly. Wears pink shirt and mauve sweat pants.
I like her style. It's so Long Island. What is she doing in the Upper West Side. I'm miffed and in love.
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"where people seem to get way bent bent out of shape about dogs in a hot car, a man gets run under by speeding traffic in Hartford and a psyche patient dies in plain view of medical staff and patients and it's no place for meddling..."
That's a bad comparison. Perhaps if these nosey upper west siders were on the scene there, too, they would have performed like champs.
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The dogs were lucky it wasn't Chinatown.
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i am pleased that people chose to help those animals, and the owner deserved to get blasted, but they should have called the aspca right away, since the dogs might have gotten upset and could have bitten someone, simply because they were hot and frightened, but good for them anyway!
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Who Let the Dogs Out? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He82NBjJqf8
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Damn, typical Upper West Side neurotics.
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[22] Yeah, not everybody can be a self-absorbed jerk like you who would have just let the dogs die. Sorry.
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I wonder what would have happened if one of the dogs bite one of the neighbors.
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These people are disgusting, and long time NYers all know who they are.
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Is she the same one that owns the band? If so I would sue her.
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The dogs were lucky it wasn't Chinatown.
This was so funny I forgot to laugh. Har har. There we go.
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The neighbors were right in their actions.
People abuse innocent animals, leave one another to die on hospital floors and murder one another in cold blood. They consider such behavior to be animal however what we do is not survival it is a deficiency in the human race. The neighbors did the right thing and the owner deserved to her verbal lashing. She should also be locked in her own car with the windows closed wearing a faux fur coat in 90 degree weather to learn a lesson.
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Annoying do-gooders. I hate animal rights bleeding hearts. These are the same people who walk by homeless people and do nothing. Get over yourselves, you self righteous pompous jerks! Get a job, go to work, stop acting all holier than thou!
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Maybe it is because homeless people at least have the capacity to survive in this world (barring any physical/mental handicap). They aren't herded into the local Animal Care and Control center to eventually be euthanized.
As for you, jspatch, I would stick you in a gas chamber in a heartbeat if it meant saving a dog.
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Jspatch, I wish you'd lock yourself in a hot car, windows up for the next 72 hours.
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jspatch, does someone need a hug? Some attention? Aw.
Every time someone does something to help, why do people whine about the times no one helped? We should be happy when people step in and hope they do it every time. These dog-lovers, I am sure, would have helped the ER lady and the Hartford man.
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JDS, Vonkhan, Robingee;
stick me in a gas chamber if meant saving a dog? brilliant insight!
lock me in a hot car for 72 hours? Oh, I see! Like this lady did! for 72 hours? I don't think so, more like an hour.
Robingee... assuming you're a female.. I totally have a case of 'yellow fever' and I would love a big hug from you anyday. Me love you long time!
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Yes yes, we hear you. You made an impact and got people to respond. Mission accomplished. yawn.
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those aspca cops are worse than the nypd, talk about power trips. but for some reason the pro gun crowd and pro leo crowd think the female officer is hot. wait, aren't I pro 2A? why, yes I am.