On July 15, 2006 I lost my best friend and my kids lost a sister. My kids went to california for the summer and i planned to drive to Oklahoma to pick them up. The plan was to tell the kids that i would not bring froxy because she was going to stay with my wife. On July 15 i took froxy to my aunts house and left her inside my 2006 chevy tahoe with the air on. I went inside to surprise the kids, and i was inside no longer than 20 min. I told my kids that i had a surprise for them in the truck. My daughter and son went outside and i followed them, when my daughter opened up the door my froxy was on the passenger floor dead. My daughther screamed as if someone had cut her. All i could do is grab froxy and began cpr on her, but i was so far away from the city i could not take her to a vet in time. The temp inside my truck was 114 degrees, and my air unit broke from when i got out of the truck until i got back to it which was 15 to 20 min. I feel i killed my best friend and i am having a hard time dealing with this. I can not get her out of my head with her lying dead in my truck. If you all could pray for me and my family so that we can heal from this. I love and miss you Froxy. Marcus Brown

Marcus, I am so sorry you lost your friend. What a horrible tragedy. Your post is very timely. How many of us have left our dogs in the car with the air on for what was supposed to be just a minute? I know I have. Thanks to you, I will never do it again.

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On July 15, 2006 I lost my best friend and my kids lost a sister. My kids went to california for the summer and i planned to drive to Oklahoma to pick them up. The plan was to tell the kids that i would not bring froxy because she was going to stay with my wife. On July 15 i took froxy to my aunts house and left her inside my 2006 chevy tahoe with the air on. I went inside to surprise the kids, and i was inside no longer than 20 min. I told my kids that i had a surprise for them in the truck. My daughter and son went outside and i followed them, when my daughter opened up the door my froxy was on the passenger floor dead. My daughther screamed as if someone had cut her. All i could do is grab froxy and began cpr on her, but i was so far away from the city i could not take her to a vet in time. The temp inside my truck was 114 degrees, and my air unit broke from when i got out of the truck until i got back to it which was 15 to 20 min. I feel i killed my best friend and i am having a hard time dealing with this. I can not get her out of my head with her lying dead in my truck. If you all could pray for me and my family so that we can heal from this. I love and miss you Froxy. Marcus Brown

It wasn't your fault.

You left her with the A/C on, and so do thousands of other people.

You need to realize that this was not your fault and not present a guilty face to your kids. I'd be telling my kids that it's a quick and peaceful way to go, I'm afraid, if this were my situation.

But it wasn't your fault. You will probably never do this again, and now Froxy's death means that a whole bunch of people won't do it, but that doesn't mean it was your fault. We do the best we know; when we know better, then we do better.

I'd have a memorial for Froxy with the kids, and I'd make it happy and sad and everything that Froxy was to you: a real event, where the kids can share their emotions and their grief and their love. Then I'd have photos around, and I would encourage the kids to talk about their friend and what she meant to them.

I don't know how your family will feel about this, but sometimes honoring the friend who is gone by opening your home to another needy dog can be a balm....... when you're ready, I mean.

I'm so very sorry that this happened. My heart aches for all of you.

I guess my biggest drive would be to help the kids talk about it and not let it grow inside......... even if they're angry, I'd let them share that with me and tell them it's OK to feel like that.

Just my opinion......... I think others will help more. I am so sorry.

No way you could have predicted that the a/c would conk out. I am so sorry about Froxy, but try to let go of the guilt. Absolutely NOT your fault! I have two sets of keys so I can leave the dog in the car with the a/c running while I run into the bank or store but I may re-think that now.

Wow - your car was a new model not even a year old and this happened.

My car is 13 years old and still uses the factory air conditioning. How many times have I left my dog in the car with the air on, while I ran errands?

Thanks for sharing, you may have saved my dog's life!

Marcus, what a sad & frightening lesson, learned the hardest way possible <:-(

My sincere condolences & prayers to you & your family on the loss of Froxy -- and I highly recommend grief counseling for you all (don't feel ridiculous, I'm sure you can find a therapy group that will understand & welcome you)...

Call your pastor and/or local mental health organization to help you locate help of this kind for your family, because it can make a world of difference in the speed of your forgiveness & healing.

marcus-i'm SO SORRY for your loss, but it seems it may be a warning for all of us. i'm just sorry you had to lose Froxy; it's really hard for us to lose a good dog when our kids are little (and even when they're bigger--i have 2 older dogs and 2 teenagers who grew up with them. looking forward to THAT <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />. i find dealing with the kids the hardest part (other than my own feelings).

now, in an attempt to make lemonade out of lemons: i have a 6 mo. GSD, i'm trying to socialize, but it's been way too hot to take him to town much. he seems to be marginally dog-aggressive at this point, but i think it's just that he's not been exposed to many strange dogs.

if this is way OT, let me know, i'll start another thread. but it concerns me--is there a socialization window??