For it to be animal cruelty, I think someone has to intentionally inflict pain and suffering. Otherwise it might be negligence. In the case of the owner whose dog was in the car for 10 minutes - it's not cruelty, but your really should have let the window down a crack. I can understand that having to leash your dog and take them out of the car, just to pop into the store can be a pain, but it's quick and easy to just wind the window down a notch.

Didn't need the reprimanding - maybe a helpful suggestion. You don't make friends by threatening people, as that woman didn't know.

21C? Your mom got berated for leaving her dog in the car in 21C!?

My family leaves our dog in the car for longer than that in 30C weather. With the windows partially down, of course, and we try not to be too long, but still...

Living in Florida, being in 70F degree weather would be a blessing for us. Hell, we're lucky if we can afford to keep our houses and businesses at that temperature. Right now, I'm posting at a balmy 80ish with the fan going. So no, leaving your dog in the car with the windows down in any weather isn't cruelty to me(unless it's ridiculously cold, over 100F, or the thing needs food and water). The person menacing you with your license number is just a prick with not enough problems of their own.

Hmm, before reading through I was shocked to see that she even went outside, or the fact the Earth hasn't crusted over, in 70c temp. But then my logic kicked and and I realised it was 70F. For that split second, I knew the world was doomed.

Anyway, I like everyone else here, knows it's not animal crulty. This is: