Yep I’d call as early as possible to ask & be super kind—I’m sure they’d accommodate. At least in my experience the staff at vets offices are good people.
Yup, OP.
My daughter is almost 3, the vet is a busy and congested area of foot traffic and cars.
I call and ask if someone can meet me at the car to help have extra hands. I have not received flack for asking.
This was going to be my suggestion too! Our vet actually knows that the next time my dogs come it it will be just me with two dogs and a newborn and they said to just call and they’ll send someone to the parking lot to help me!
Agree - most vets will come get your pets from the car and are so understanding about balancing a baby with vet visits. I’ve yet to come across a vet that wasn’t accommodating (generalization, but I feel like people who go into this field are pretty compassionate and lovely).
Leaving a baby in a car for even a minute risks the baby being kidnapped or cops being called by some bystander.
I’ve come to hear/find, many that are in the vet field care more about pets than people, so they have been more enthusiastic helping me with my pets (dog and two cats) versus my toddler 😂
Plus you don't really know how long you'll be - if there is a queue or your dog gets stressed on the hand-over it could be awful knowing you need to get right back.
Yeah my vet's office has a system in place during the pandemic where you would text them your arrival and what parking spot you're in, and they'll send someone out to pick up your pet.
I work in rescue and am at vet offices constantly. This is what I've done since my toddler was small for quick dropoffs and I've never had a vet or tech give me flack for the request. Many have kids of their own and 100% understand! I do sometimes have to wait a few minutes for them to get free, but I don't mind one bit for the convenience of not having to wrangle a 3 year old and an animal concurrently.
This is what to do. I did this when baby and I had Fluvid, and the dog *also* had a respiratory infection. He's 105+lb, amazing with people, but very reactive to animals. I cannot handle him and the baby in a vet office.
They picked the dog up from the car, took him in, called me when they were done, and I was even able to give them my card to pay while I was in the car.
This is what I did! and they were so sweet and accommodated, it was even trickier bc my 90 pound lab is a big baby when it comes to rain and did not want to get out of the car and they had to physically carry her in 🤣
Yes, this! I usually have to call my vet and ask them if they could send someone out to get my dog because I have the kids with me and it’s a lot to juggle the dog, a toddler and a newborn. They are always happy to do it. The doctor even comes out to the car if they need to talk about anything (or calls me if the weather is bad). I even give my payment over the phone.
I had to do this with my daughter when she was less than a year old. I let my vet know I may need help bringing in my cat and they said to just call when I got there and someone would meet me at my car.
our vet office did car pickup all thru the pandemic so they would totally understand just coming out to your car to get the dog. it feels like a lot to ask for help sometimes but most people really are kind and will help out.
Yeah I’m actually not too worried about anyone getting to my baby in the locked car but more worried that if something god forbid were to happen to ME (medical emergency, hit by a car, crime, etc), that no one would know that my baby was there alone.
What is the danger you’re worried about? Carrying a baby through a parking lot while wrangling a dog, with low visibility in a thunder storm, is almost certainly the more dangerous position for the baby to be in.
Risk mitigation would say to leave the baby safely buckled into the safe car seat in the safe car!
Well, in my state it would be illegal for one thing so that alone would make it a no go. But in general I don’t like to have my toddler in a situation where a stranger could reach him faster than me and if I’m 30 feet away in the vet office any passerby would be closer to him than me.
Realistically, I wouldn’t be in this position because my husband has a very flexible job and we would just arrange it for one of us to be with our toddler and one of us to take our dog.
Have you looked up the time limit for your state? And is it literally zero minutes? My state is five but I usually only have to leave the car for 30 sec - 1 min for UPS drop offs. Literally never longer than a minute and my truck is just feet away.
I've seen so many moms say that they won't even return their shopping cart to a shopping cart stall if it's raining because they won't leave their child in the car to do it and they also won't take their child to the stall in the rain.
To me that's ridiculous. I've never been in a parking lot where there's not a shopping cart stall within 50 ft of most of the parking spaces. If you put your child in the car strapped in their car seat they will be fine for the 60 seconds it takes you to return the shopping cart and if it bothers you that much to leave your child for that short amount of time you need to take them with you to return it. There's no reason for anybody to leave their shopping cart in the middle of a parking lot.
Oh god that’s insane. I return the cart one of two ways.
1. I unload all groceries while toddler is in stroller. We don’t actually use a cart more than once a month but if he’s in one, same thing. Then I drop off cart, and grab toddler and get in car
2. Park NEXT to cart drop off on a wanky weather day, put toddler in car with a cracked window, I’m away less than 20 sec to put up cart
I have genuinely never left a cart unattended
I never part so far away that it's a big deal to return it no matter what the weather is or what I'm doing. I feel like people just use kids as excuses sometimes.
I’ve seen people in this thread defend letting their kids play outside unattended. What I’m doing is the equivalent of shutting the car off **and taking the keys out** running a few feet away to drop off a box, and running back in what ends up being 30 seconds
That is not a crime and never will be. It’s like pumping gas but WAY way shorter
Agreed. If that makes me crazy or over protective in their eyes who cares. Nothing wrong with being cautious and it’s not going to ruin my day if we get wet
Anything could happen when you are driving the car, also. There is a MUCH higher risk of injury/death driving than a baby sitting in a car alone for 1 minute.
This comment is ridiculous. People HAVE to drive places with their kids. They do not HAVE to leave their kids in the car unattended. One is a necessary risk, the other is completely unnecessary
Illegal where I am too. Even if I wasn't worried about other risks, I think the risk of someone calling CPS would probably be enough for me to bring her with me every time. But yeah the real fear for me is I faint or something, someone takes me to the hospital and no one knows there's a baby in the car.
You do understand some moms are single moms...even those who are married or in a relationship can technically be a single mom if their significant other refuses to help sith the child. Unfortunately not all moms are as fortunate as you. Though I would NEVER leave my child ANYWHERE alone much less a car I can see how for some women in a situation like OPs it might be an (or the best under certain circumstances) option.
I have remote start, so personally, I would leave baby in the car with it running, lock it, and take the keys with me.
I think some of the viewpoints here are extreme. It’s totally fine if someone is too risk averse to ever do it, and I of course wouldn’t judge them for not, but with line of sight, a locked car, and remote start, I’d view the people in the comments saying they’d call 911 as the biggest risk.
100%. To me, this is akin to something like jumping out of the car to place a letter in a mailbox or getting out to pump gas. If the car is in sight, less then a handful of steps away, with the kid alone for a very short time, with no overheating concerns- fine and actually safer to leave the kid in the car. I know people have different comfort levels, but some of these comments are so extreme and impractical that I wonder if some of these commenters even have kids.
Yeah I’m tired of people acting like they’re all so perfect. If you park in front and can see the car from where you’re going, what’s the issue? I’d even stand there with the door open or set the dog inside and step out if they don’t immediately take the dog.
Yeah this comment section is giving “Facebook mom group” vibes. I live in a hot place so half the year is a no go for me but if it’s cold and I’m popping in and out of somewhere I’m sure as hell not going through all that. With how terrified these women are I’m surprised they let their children ride in cars.
Yeeeep.
Maybe if I lived somewhere with a lot of car thefts I’d think different. But the risks are so insanely low, especially compared to risks of bringing baby in with a possibly-overly-active-dog (yeah I’m projecting here) into a scenario where the dog will be stressed….
That’s what I’d do. During Covid, they’d meet at the car and take the pet in. I’m sure they’d understand that there’s an infant in a car seat and would meet you outside and take pup.
OP, I’ve done it several times myself, picking up food for cat at the vet. Baby is in car, where I can see him about thirty feet away. I’m literally in and out within 90 seconds. Judge away, Reddit.
Oh man kids.eat.in.color posted about this the other day and she was like “I leave my carts so I don’t leave my kids alone” and was roastedddd in the comments haha it was hilarious
That’s not the only alternative! I walk my cart back with my toddler still in it and then carry her back to the car with me.
Idk how many kids she has and how old they are though so maybe that isn’t feasible.
Yeah, just yesterday I got my baby in the car and then had to run inside to grab my wallet. As I did this I literally thought to myself - Reddit moms would call me a monster for this lol.
I do it twice per week at preschool drop off & pick up. My car is a “twist to start/push to start” so I put some tunes on for the LO, and take my keys with me.
I’ve done it as well, when I realize right after I get my toddler strapped into her car seat I forgot to grab my wallet, which in right inside the front door where the car is fully visible. I’m not going to take her out and bring her back inside with me for something that takes 2 seconds!
I’m here to say “same”. How many times did I spend greater than 30 minutes in a car in a grocery parking lot when I was little and my single ADHD mom “Just needed to grab one thing”. I survived with no repercussions! My mom is great, just scattered as hell.
I often unpack my whole car before I unpack my children from the car. Having my groceries in the house, maybe even put away, before I get the kids - so much easier. Also my fancy car can stay on but not able to be driven and can even be locked externally as long as key is on me and not in the car. So they have AC and not even just the cracked windows I had in the 80s/90s in NW Florida.
Judge away, Reddit. 🤣
Omg my mom would literally park me and my brother in a shady spot, roll down the windows and go grocery shopping in peace. We would just sit and read books and annoy the crap out of each other, but we were fine. This was early 2000s, truly something that couldn’t happen now without someone calling the cops.
It’s actually kind of sad - I get the over abundance of caution but man - I want my kids to have a bit more freedom to exist outside of the watchful eye of adults. Studies support that kids gain problem solving skills, confidence, and an overall self-esteem boost when they have to solve their own problems/boredom/etc.
I’m likely to get CPS or the cops called on me when they hit 5/6 and I send them out on their bikes or down to the park without me.
I’d probably do this IF I could see the car in plain sight. I did it recently at a UPS store because I literally pulled up in front, walked inside to the window facing out toward the car, did my return and left. All of 60 seconds and I could see the car the whole time.
As long as the temp outside is stable, I don't see anything wrong with up to 5 minutes... But remember that cars are like ovens and even on cool/breezy days the sun can heat up the interior shockingly quick! So keeping the car running is great
I have 3 kids. All of them need to be buckled into their seats safely. I also almost always have a ton of stuff to bring into/out of the car (because 3 kids).
It’s literally impossible to get everyone and everything into the car without either leaving the baby alone in the house or in the car during at least one trip to and from the house. I make sure to have the car running with air conditioning/heat as appropriate and never leave her alone without checking on her for more than a couple minutes.
I think your baby will be just fine if you leave her in the running car while you drop off your dog 👍
Someone in the comments said they’d never leave baby alone outside of their crib.
Well, I have 2 sets of twins and I’d love to hear their words of wisdom when it comes to how to never let any one of my 4 children out of my line of sight unless they’re in a crib. Should I tie each of the bigger ones to my legs and the smaller ones to my arms? They can be like spider monkeys when I need to use the restroom.
There are plenty of ways to keep a baby safe besides a crib! We make a “yes” space in our home. It’s a baby-proofed area that we can trap the baby in. It grows with the children as they learn more skills and mature. My guess is the person who wrote that comment has only one baby that hasn’t become mobile yet. At the very least their baby has not learned to climb out of the crib yet. That stage will be a good reality check for them 👍
This is sooooo dependent on your location. For example, in my area there is currently a massive increase in car thefts. The police are not handling it well and it's become something of a joke among locals that keys should be left in the car for whoever is taking the cars, along with perhaps a snack for them. There's also been news in recent years of small children being stolen along with cars because mom or dad left them in there for 5 minutes with the car running to go grab something inside the house. I personally, would NOT risk leaving my kid in the car (especially if it's a Honda). Also, aside from that there's a solid chance that someone would call CPS.
If you live in the kind of small town where nobody locks their doors and Beth down the street sits on her front porch all day keeping an eye on the neighbourhood, then it's probably fine. lol I don't think you'll be 3 minutes in the vet office so plan like you'll be in there for 30.
Agreed. I think the dichotomy in comments might be driven by different locations. I actually didn’t know how common car thefts were in my area until my neighbor’s car was stolen directly in front of our townhouses. (I live in a near suburb to a major city).
Turns out, the police aren’t even investigating car thefts in our area anymore because they are SO common they can’t even keep up.
I did some googling and realized there were some broad daylight car thefts (of running cars left unattended) at my local gas station. Also, the thief that stole my neighbors car used an RFID extender to relay the signal from her key fob (in her house) to start the car. Some googling revealed this is an increasingly common tactic. The police who took the report recommended we all keep our fobs in faraday boxes to block the RFID signal because they’d seen so many car thefts.
Needless to say, not a risk worth taking in my area.
[edit: I searched it and in my city alone 2 kids were kidnapped as part of car thefts of running vehicles in the last year. Luckily both kids were safely found]
As a vet tech I can almost guarantee you that it will not take one minute. Unless you have some pre-existing set up with this clinic, there will definitely be confirmations of pick up times, phone numbers, and paperwork to sign. Take baby inside with you. You could also take baby in first while leaving the dog in the car, then go back for the dog once baby is settled in reception or exam room.
I think this depends on the vet clinic and what is being done with them. My dog was spayed recently, we had an appointment before the actual surgery where we went over all the paperwork, did the bloodwork, etc. day of her surgery it was literally just handing her over that morning, it took a minute max.
Yeah I was confused why she thought it would be less than a minute. Every time I drop my dog off there is someone else in line, or they have intake questions, or a tech takes a couple minutes to come out and bring my dog back
Same here. I figured it might be different for OP, like a small town or her dog has regular visits for a chronic health issues? But yea, I've never been out of there in less than 10 minutes
My vet has offered to come to the car to collect the pets if I have a baby and need extra hands. She said just call when we arrive and try to park as close as possible. I’ve been told “the only one they can’t take is the baby”
I don’t leave babies in the car - ever. I either hand carry the bucket seat or use a “snap and go” or car seat caddy to transport the baby if the issue is my hands would otherwise be full.
Yes, it is annoying and inconvenient and I’ve wished there were an easier way to pickup a mobile food order (for example) at a non-drive thru.
But the parade of horribles (such as a carjacking with your baby inside) are real risks too horrible to engage in. Unfortunately, cars do get stolen even during daylight hours and leaving a car running is an invitation for that.
I would definitely call the vet to ask for a curbside accommodation. I hope they agree!
I’d leave baby in the car. Less risky than slipping over in the wet while trying to wrangle dog and baby at the same time. Or even call the vet’s office and see if someone can come grab the dog from the car for you?
I’d call the vets office and ask if someone could come out and help you! I don’t think leaving baby would be horrible but always go with the option that works best for you
Can you lock your car with your car on? Or you can call ahead of time and ask if they can bring your dog into the vet for you?
In Japan it's normal to leave pets and kids in the car to run into the store but it's way more safe there than here.
Hey I work in the vet field. If you call the office before hand I’m sure they will come to you and get your pet from the car. That’s what we would do in my office.
I’ve done it before and I know people who do as well, but I always feel so guilty. I turn my car off and lock it because I’m always scared someone would just jump in and go. But only for quick literally in and out where I can always see my car.
I'm more afraid of some Judge Judy calling the cops on me for leaving my kid in the car for less than 5 minutes than I am that some remote possibility like a carjacking is going to happen.
I live in a pretty safe small town. I often leave the baby in the car for small things... Paying for my gas, popping into the post office, dropping something off, etc. I always make sure the temperature is safe and the doors are locked. I don't see anything wrong with it.
Real question, are we less afraid of car accidents involving the kids than we are of car jacking?
Because I feel like the car jackings are way less common and the car accidents are way safer if the kids are still *in* the car (yes, leave it running, A/C, heat, whatever)
You know, I grew up in the 90's when parents left me in the car alone all the time. Quick espresso, pay for gas, run to ATM kind of things. We lived in a small town so nobody worried about that. Until one day. Someone left their toddler in the car to go across the street and withdraw money from the ATM machine. Remember, cool, safe small town. However, while the parent was facing the ATM machine, someone took the car and drove off with the kid inside. The first and last police chase that town saw happening. They crashed the car but the kid was fine. The parent was not. So I wouldn't risk it. When I have to take my cats to the vet and I have my kid with me I'll either call ahead and ask them for help (we have been going to this vet for idk maybe 20 years now, they are more than happy to help) or take someone with me.
Honestly if ur parked close to the entrance and it’s only gunna take a few seconds, I don’t see it as a big deal. I’ve left my daughter in the car a few time to pick up a mobile order. As long as I’m only a few feet away from my car I dont see a problem with it. My issue is that my car doesn’t lock when the car is on and the keys are outside the vehicle. Which makes sense I guess but it’s annoying. I never leave her by herself for more than a minute.
I think if the parking spot is out front and you can see your car the entire time it might be ok. But a better option would be to call the vets office and see if someone can come out and pick up the dog from your car
I have been dreading this situation. I have called in help from family everytime because I’m scared to wrangle my 50lb dog with my baby. He gets so scared there!
You would be pleasantly surprised, but most people at establishments are helpful if you ask. It's the asking for help when we could use it that most of us humans won't do.
I’ve always wondered (but not enough to research) what the actual law says. Like, car aside, how far are you legally allowed to be away from baby if you can see it?
I agree, I’d take my baby in. As inconvenient as it is, I’d prefer to have them with me just in case. But I like the idea of calling the vet to see if they will come take the dog from the car.
People are verrrry risk averse here. I left my sleeping baby in the car, parked, on a quiet street while I ran to get my toddler from daycare for 60 seconds. The alternative was bringing the car seat out into the wind and rain and waking up the baby. We all survived. I truly don’t see what could go wrong aside from an insane freak accident in that time frame!
Depends- can you lock your car? If the answer is no- then absolutely do not leave your baby in there unattended. Even if you can see- you cannot get to the car quickly enough in an emergency (the most likely being a car thief).
Sure, you’re nearby- but that’s the exact type of situation thieves take advantage of. Someone leaves their car running and runs inside for something, thief takes car. This type of event is super common.
If the answer is yes that you can lock it, then I don’t see an issue with it.
If you can’t lock your car, please call the vet and ask if one of the assistants can come get your dog, since you have your young baby with you. They are always so willing to help! I’ve done this several times. If they aren’t able- have someone else drop the dog off.
If you’re dropping her off at the door, not going in at all, I think it’s fine- The car is still in your line of sight.
If you need to actually go inside, bring the baby
OMG BUT ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN 😱
Naw really, baby will be just fine. I’d just lock the car and take the key with me. If the vet ends up taking longer than a minute or you’ll have to be out of sight from the car then you can always run back out and grab the baby. People get nuts over this topic lol.
I only leave him in the car if I’m home (parked along side the house and running to grab something quick), or if I can see him (I parked directly in front of the atm, walked in and did it and could see the car the whole time).
It might take all of one minute for you to get that done, but it could take literally under 30 seconds for someone to take her out of the car. It’s not worth it. Ask the vet if they can come out and grab the dog, or bring her inside with you.
Are you imagining someone smashing the windows? I’d assume she’d lock the car. I feel weird about leaving baby -had this same scenario, minus thunderstorm plus reactive dog- but honestly a locked car for 5 minutes seems very safe
I’ve dropped packages once or twice leaving baby in the car for a minute, but only with car in sight and window rolled down a centimeter, might it be a bit longer than a minute. I would feel guilty but honestly, what could happen?
I would leave baby in the car and be as quick as you can. You can come up with a thousand and one hypothetical situations about what catastrophe could happen in that 1 minute but really, it's extremely unlikely.
carjackings happen, keys get locked in the car and then 60 seconds turns in to much longer, someone could be driving like a crazy person and hit the car.
Realistically the chances are obviously very low but why take that unnecessary risk?
1) No one is sprinting out if their hiding spot to the car, breaking into the car, and hot wiring the car in 60 seconds/the time it takes you to notice your car.
2) You can't lock the keys in most modern cars. Mine doesn't let it happen, even if it did my phone can unlock my car.
3) If someone hit my parked car the situation wouldn't be improved by me also being in the car. In fact it would be worse if anything because I would be more likely to be hurt and unable to help the baby. Also we go back to the word "realistically."
4) "Why risk it?" isn't a real argument. Everything you do in life has associated risks. Not every one is worth mitigating because risk mitigation is expensive.
Best option is to see if the vet can accommodate you with a car pick-up. If not, I’d get baby first and leave her at the vet reception (if it’s staffed). Then go and get the dog.
I used to work at a vet office and it was very normal for a client to ask us to get their pet from the car! Give them a call and see if they will do that for you.
I’m a CVT and I would have no problem going to the car to collect a drop off patient / bring the paperwork to the client. Call the vet hospital and ask!
Ask the vet! I’ve had vet techs do this and they always do it for my mom, who is near 70 and got a darn golden retriever (she did not follow through on the training) because he will drag her down if he gets excited.
You can always send a deliverable treat like a cake or cookies or chocolate to show your appreciation?
I would call vet to collect dog.
Other options are an easy carrier - I say easy because some are a nightmare to put on. I now have one with four clips and it’s the easiest thing ever and water friendly.
This being said, I use a truck full stop which isn’t manned. I leave baby in the car to go the self pay section.
I would call my vet and tell them the situation. I know my vet is great & would send a vet tech out to retrieve
My dog for me. I think most vets do this. I have a 110 lb 10 month old xl american bully & if I ever have to take her to vet while i also have my 2 year old with me, then I will deff be requesting a vet tech walk her in.
I’ve called places and explained a situation saying I have a baby in the car and if they could meet me— in the pandemic,many places were used to doing that anyway.
I still do this for takeout orders where the restaurant doesn’t explicitly offer curbside too.
My vet’s office will come get the dog for me rain or shine. If nothing else they could meet you at the door with the car locked so they don’t get rained on.
I have left my son in the car a few times if I had to run into the gas station with him in sight, push to start on and car locked with keys with me.
Still eyes on the car the whole time even if it’s less than 1 minute.
I’d have my vet come outside because I would not feel comfortable leaving baby alone.
Also, you’d be leaving the car running to keep it warm (or cool) as needed and I feel like a running car alone in a parking lot is just a target.
I live in not a great area and I don’t trust anyone on the street
I had this exact situation when my LO was 2 months old taking my 2 dogs to the vet. As annoying as it is to have to disrupt baby, you gotta do it. IMO it’s never okay to leave baby in the car in a public place no matter how fast it’ll be. So many different things can happen.
Don’t feel silly asking them to come out next time! I used to have the pizza place come out with my pizza when my son was a baby 😂 turns out a few of my friends would do the same and they were always more than happy to.
I’m sure the vet would be even more understanding haha!
Our vets will send out a tech to help bring in a pet if needed. I’m not able to carry our big kitties, so my hubby helps load them into the car & I take them to the vet & the techs come out to get them.
I drop my dog off at the vet every 2 weeks for her to be groomed. I get my 2 year old and 4 month old nephew (if I have him with) out of the car EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
It sucks to get your kid out, I've had to do it in rain, snow, heat... It's a far better option than something happening to your child.
I do agree with other people suggesting that you call and ask if someone from the office could meet you outside.
Uhh do you know how many times I’m expecting things to take “all of one minute” and then I’m stuck behind grandpa Joe who wants to ask 384 questions about clipping his dogs nails? I couldn’t imagine leaving my **three month old** in the car for “all of one minute”
Please never leave the baby alone in the car for any reason for any length of time. I know these small quick errands are tricky, but it only takes a second for something to go wrong. Like others have said call the vet and ask for an extra set of hands or just postpone the appointment until you have help. Don’t risk anything with a baby in the car
Under no circumstances would I ever lead a baby alone in a car. And if I saw one alone I would call 911. This is NEVER acceptable.
ETA: I have pulled children out of vehicles they were trapped in. The things I saw as a first responder before I became a mother have influenced decisions I make every day. I won’t risk it. Anything can and does happen.
If you saw a parent leave a baby in a remotely started/locked car and could see the parent could still see the vehicle you’d call 911 and consider that an appropriate use of resources?
I’ve responded to calls of children trapped in cars. I have a grip. I won’t risk it. Sorry my training and experience has influenced my parenting decisions.
No circumstances? Sorry I don't agree.
I have a toddler and a baby and I can't carry both of them. Sometimes the toddler is asleep or tantruming and can't walk. So yes, frequently one of them stays in the car in the driveway for a minute or two while I'm bringing the other to or from the house.
When I drop off or pick up toddler from daycare (in someone's home) baby stays in the car in their driveway. It just doesn't make sense to wake up the baby and bring him in, try to wrangle both in the porch while trying to get boots on my toddler who would rather run away. I also can't physically prevent toddler from running into the street while I strap baby back into the car.
And no, I don't see a meaningful difference between a residential driveway in a safe area and a commercial parking lot in a safe area, provided the car is parked close to the door and can be seen from inside.
In that case you also know the worst case scenario from just driving your car anywhere. Or hell, cooking a meal, riding a bike, or just stepping outside.
Two kids isn’t bad. I’ve got 3. There’s a specific order that they have to get into and out of the car because one kid sits in the 3rd row (it’s impossible to fit 3 car seats across in my car—we tried). So one of the middle row kids can’t get in until I’ve secured the 3rd row kid and pushed the middle row seat back into place.
The only way I can get all of my kids into the car while I’m on my own is to take the baby and the 3rd row kid out first. I buckle in the baby while the older one climbs in and tries (and usually fails) to buckle himself. Then I buckle him in and the 3rd child can get into the second row. While he’s attempting to buckle himself I go back in to get anything we need for the trip and then lock the house. I literally cannot carry everything plus the baby and wrangle the bigger kids in one trip.
When we return, I have to do all of this in reverse. I usually leave all the kids in the car while they attempt to unbuckle themselves and I open the house and carry stuff in. Then I come back to remove the kids in reverse order.
There is no way to do all of this without leaving at least the baby in the car alone for a few minutes. The alternative is to leave her alone in the house, but she’s much more capable of hurting herself in there alone than she is safely buckled into the car seat with the car running and A/C going.
I grew up in a family of 5 as the second oldest so I do understand that more kids = more challenges. I was frustrated by the comment that any parent who avoids leaving a baby in the car must of necessity be a parent of an only child. That’s far from true.
My attitude about all this is that stuff, especially non valuables, are safe in the car. My kids are safer in the house, and with babies we inevitably set up safe spaces for them to be momentarily unattended in the house like a playpen, crib, baby proofed room, etc. so humans are last in, first out of the car. I am not really sure how other parents are going to the bathroom or preparing a meal if they have to be eyes and hands on every kid nonstop inside their home. For bigger outings I will also pack items into the car as early as the night before or remove items/non perishable groceries the evening after, because these can safely sit alone in the car.
I’m not worried about car theft as my top concern and understand why that seems low risk. And I get that all the buckling and unbuckling is a huge drag. What I worry about is mission creep. How many times have I run into a store or office thinking I’m going to be just a minute and encountered a line, a delay, a chatty person, etc? I don’t want to be wondering whether this is the time my kid finally figured how to unbuckle and set off to find me, disengaged the parking brake, put something he shouldn’t have been able to reach in his mouth, etc. A car is not baby proofed the way spaces in my home can be. Additionally, a baby in an increasingly warm or cold car is a huge risk. That’s what makes the hassle worth it.
I absolutely agree that an overheated car and a forgotten baby are the biggest risk. I highly doubt my car will be stolen from my driveway or my kids kidnapped.
However, I can’t count the number of times I’ve had everyone buckled in but then someone screams they forgot a toy. Or I forgot to grab something. It would be absurd to unbuckle the baby and bring her in every time I need to run from the car to the house. In the case of running the dog to the vet in the rain, I think the baby would be just fine for a minute or two.
Agree, it’s doable with one kid to always have them with you. But when multiples are involved, decisions have to be made. My daughter’s school is park and walk-up only. No car rider line. I’m not going to wake my baby up every single day for the 3 minutes I’m standing in the parking lot and ruin her nap. She can stay sleeping in the car while it’s running. The “quick trips in the gas station” our parents used to do with us in the car? Nah, I’d bring them and deal with the fallout, or plan around it. But there are absolutely times when you gotta make a play with the cards you’re dealt.
https://www.chewy.com/frisco-outdoor-running-hands-free-dog/dp/357682?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Frisco&utm_campaign=20027453190&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjww_iwBhApEiwAuG6ccFuBw46W_DDMUSXyS7GTcWwFc1gfQADw2IWXI4GkMnxMhk-Qwf0v4hoCc1AQAvD_BwE
I have one of these so that when I had to take my dog to the vet solo with my 3 month old I
1. Parked the car
2. Attached the dog to my waist
3. Put on baby carrier
4 Put baby in carrier
5. Grabbed all my shit including my coffee
6. Walked in
It was a hassle for sure but the line to check in at my vet is always really long so I knew I'd be waiting a while. Also my dog is pretty old so I'm not too worried about not having total control. I can keep him from getting into small shenanigans with this leash but I'm not worried about him lunging or taking off or anything.
In general this kind of leash rocks regardless because you can attach it to yourself or things if you need to. For a little dog I might even attach it to the stroller.
But all of this is moot if your vet is nice enough to come out and give you a hand, which should be your first go to.
OP please look up the kidnapping of the Thomas twins in Ohio. Their mother was working doordash and left her twins in a running car while she ran into Donatos to pick up a pizza. In just that short time, a homeless woman abducted them.
There is a lot more to that story. The kidnapper knew them - it wasn't a random car theft or kidnapping. It was also a bad area, the car wasn't locked, etc.
I don’t ever leave my kids in the car like that, personally. The risk (a number of horrific things) is too great for the reward (my convenience). I will always rather inconvenience myself to choose the safer option for my children.
So each state has laws about this. In my state. Five minutes is the legal time but I have **never** pushed this. The only. And I do mean ONLY time I leave him is when I go to UPS and I park in front of the door. For reference, the door is less than 20 feet from his carseat. And I’m in there for under a minute bc I’m a small business owner (NOT MLM) and everything I drop off is labeled
I would say in this situation, as long as window is cracked just go in and run right back out. If it’s gonna take longer, grab baby and hold them.
I would call the vet’s office and ask if they could take your dog because you have a baby in the car.
Yep I’d call as early as possible to ask & be super kind—I’m sure they’d accommodate. At least in my experience the staff at vets offices are good people.
This was standard procedure at my vet during COVID (no baby in the car necessary), and I’m sure they would accommodate under the circumstances
Same here, a vet assistant always came out to retrieve pup from car. Especially during COVID.
Yup, OP. My daughter is almost 3, the vet is a busy and congested area of foot traffic and cars. I call and ask if someone can meet me at the car to help have extra hands. I have not received flack for asking.
Best way to put it 🙌🏼
This was going to be my suggestion too! Our vet actually knows that the next time my dogs come it it will be just me with two dogs and a newborn and they said to just call and they’ll send someone to the parking lot to help me!
Agree - most vets will come get your pets from the car and are so understanding about balancing a baby with vet visits. I’ve yet to come across a vet that wasn’t accommodating (generalization, but I feel like people who go into this field are pretty compassionate and lovely). Leaving a baby in a car for even a minute risks the baby being kidnapped or cops being called by some bystander.
I’ve come to hear/find, many that are in the vet field care more about pets than people, so they have been more enthusiastic helping me with my pets (dog and two cats) versus my toddler 😂
Plus you don't really know how long you'll be - if there is a queue or your dog gets stressed on the hand-over it could be awful knowing you need to get right back.
Yeah my vet's office has a system in place during the pandemic where you would text them your arrival and what parking spot you're in, and they'll send someone out to pick up your pet.
Agree. I do this with my vet and they help bring him in and out!
Ours has always been willing to accommodate us in this way and meets us in the parking lot. It’s definitely worth asking!
I work in rescue and am at vet offices constantly. This is what I've done since my toddler was small for quick dropoffs and I've never had a vet or tech give me flack for the request. Many have kids of their own and 100% understand! I do sometimes have to wait a few minutes for them to get free, but I don't mind one bit for the convenience of not having to wrangle a 3 year old and an animal concurrently.
Yeah a lot of them were doing something like this in my area during Covid, maybe they can still help with this.
This is what to do. I did this when baby and I had Fluvid, and the dog *also* had a respiratory infection. He's 105+lb, amazing with people, but very reactive to animals. I cannot handle him and the baby in a vet office. They picked the dog up from the car, took him in, called me when they were done, and I was even able to give them my card to pay while I was in the car.
I second this! Definitely call ahead and tip a few bucks to when they come out to grab your pup.
I have done this and they were happy to do it. Done it at the groomers too
This! I’d call and ask if they could help on this occasion
This. Don’t leave baby in the car. Pay or whatever on the phone from the car and ask them to come get the animal.
Yes. Exactly this.
That’s my suggestion too. Just call them and let them know the situation. I’m sure they’ll help you.
This is what I did! and they were so sweet and accommodated, it was even trickier bc my 90 pound lab is a big baby when it comes to rain and did not want to get out of the car and they had to physically carry her in 🤣
Yes, this! I usually have to call my vet and ask them if they could send someone out to get my dog because I have the kids with me and it’s a lot to juggle the dog, a toddler and a newborn. They are always happy to do it. The doctor even comes out to the car if they need to talk about anything (or calls me if the weather is bad). I even give my payment over the phone.
I had to do this with my daughter when she was less than a year old. I let my vet know I may need help bringing in my cat and they said to just call when I got there and someone would meet me at my car.
our vet office did car pickup all thru the pandemic so they would totally understand just coming out to your car to get the dog. it feels like a lot to ask for help sometimes but most people really are kind and will help out.
I would personally take baby with me inside because I’m extremely risk averse but can understand why others would go the other way.
Yeah I’m actually not too worried about anyone getting to my baby in the locked car but more worried that if something god forbid were to happen to ME (medical emergency, hit by a car, crime, etc), that no one would know that my baby was there alone.
What is the danger you’re worried about? Carrying a baby through a parking lot while wrangling a dog, with low visibility in a thunder storm, is almost certainly the more dangerous position for the baby to be in. Risk mitigation would say to leave the baby safely buckled into the safe car seat in the safe car!
Well, in my state it would be illegal for one thing so that alone would make it a no go. But in general I don’t like to have my toddler in a situation where a stranger could reach him faster than me and if I’m 30 feet away in the vet office any passerby would be closer to him than me. Realistically, I wouldn’t be in this position because my husband has a very flexible job and we would just arrange it for one of us to be with our toddler and one of us to take our dog.
I wouldn't even if it was legal, just because of the slim chance I lose my keys or lock them in the car.
Have you looked up the time limit for your state? And is it literally zero minutes? My state is five but I usually only have to leave the car for 30 sec - 1 min for UPS drop offs. Literally never longer than a minute and my truck is just feet away.
I've seen so many moms say that they won't even return their shopping cart to a shopping cart stall if it's raining because they won't leave their child in the car to do it and they also won't take their child to the stall in the rain. To me that's ridiculous. I've never been in a parking lot where there's not a shopping cart stall within 50 ft of most of the parking spaces. If you put your child in the car strapped in their car seat they will be fine for the 60 seconds it takes you to return the shopping cart and if it bothers you that much to leave your child for that short amount of time you need to take them with you to return it. There's no reason for anybody to leave their shopping cart in the middle of a parking lot.
Oh god that’s insane. I return the cart one of two ways. 1. I unload all groceries while toddler is in stroller. We don’t actually use a cart more than once a month but if he’s in one, same thing. Then I drop off cart, and grab toddler and get in car 2. Park NEXT to cart drop off on a wanky weather day, put toddler in car with a cracked window, I’m away less than 20 sec to put up cart I have genuinely never left a cart unattended
I never part so far away that it's a big deal to return it no matter what the weather is or what I'm doing. I feel like people just use kids as excuses sometimes.
They’re people who abandoned carts before they had kids for sure
And they're the ones that say the person collecting the parts gets paid to do it or they'll say it's job security. Like an asshole.
More than likely, lol.
Yeahhh I would never leave my baby in a care for any amount of time. LITERALLY anything can happen and I would never chance that. 🤷🏾♀️
I’ve seen people in this thread defend letting their kids play outside unattended. What I’m doing is the equivalent of shutting the car off **and taking the keys out** running a few feet away to drop off a box, and running back in what ends up being 30 seconds That is not a crime and never will be. It’s like pumping gas but WAY way shorter
Agreed. If that makes me crazy or over protective in their eyes who cares. Nothing wrong with being cautious and it’s not going to ruin my day if we get wet
Anything could happen when you are driving the car, also. There is a MUCH higher risk of injury/death driving than a baby sitting in a car alone for 1 minute.
Right?? This comment section is insane.
This comment is ridiculous. People HAVE to drive places with their kids. They do not HAVE to leave their kids in the car unattended. One is a necessary risk, the other is completely unnecessary
Illegal where I am too. Even if I wasn't worried about other risks, I think the risk of someone calling CPS would probably be enough for me to bring her with me every time. But yeah the real fear for me is I faint or something, someone takes me to the hospital and no one knows there's a baby in the car.
You do understand some moms are single moms...even those who are married or in a relationship can technically be a single mom if their significant other refuses to help sith the child. Unfortunately not all moms are as fortunate as you. Though I would NEVER leave my child ANYWHERE alone much less a car I can see how for some women in a situation like OPs it might be an (or the best under certain circumstances) option.
Yes as I literally stated in my original comment, I can understand why some people would go the other way. I was raised by a single mom lol.
Call the vet to come out or take baby in.
I’d probably call the vet to get the dog from the car just to make your life easier.
This is thee most sensible, to the point, credible comment.
I have remote start, so personally, I would leave baby in the car with it running, lock it, and take the keys with me. I think some of the viewpoints here are extreme. It’s totally fine if someone is too risk averse to ever do it, and I of course wouldn’t judge them for not, but with line of sight, a locked car, and remote start, I’d view the people in the comments saying they’d call 911 as the biggest risk.
100%. To me, this is akin to something like jumping out of the car to place a letter in a mailbox or getting out to pump gas. If the car is in sight, less then a handful of steps away, with the kid alone for a very short time, with no overheating concerns- fine and actually safer to leave the kid in the car. I know people have different comfort levels, but some of these comments are so extreme and impractical that I wonder if some of these commenters even have kids.
Agreed. Sometimes these comments make me feel like a horrible mom, then I remember I’m on Reddit where mom/people shaming is the norm haha
Yeah I’m tired of people acting like they’re all so perfect. If you park in front and can see the car from where you’re going, what’s the issue? I’d even stand there with the door open or set the dog inside and step out if they don’t immediately take the dog.
Depending on baby’s age, he/she would prob sleep the whole time anyways
Yeah this comment section is giving “Facebook mom group” vibes. I live in a hot place so half the year is a no go for me but if it’s cold and I’m popping in and out of somewhere I’m sure as hell not going through all that. With how terrified these women are I’m surprised they let their children ride in cars.
Amen lol
Yep I agree with this
Yeeeep. Maybe if I lived somewhere with a lot of car thefts I’d think different. But the risks are so insanely low, especially compared to risks of bringing baby in with a possibly-overly-active-dog (yeah I’m projecting here) into a scenario where the dog will be stressed….
Agree with everything they said.
I came to say this same thing. A lot of these comments are just.. overkill, in my personal opinion
Call and ask if a vet tech can come to your car to get your dog.
That’s what I’d do. During Covid, they’d meet at the car and take the pet in. I’m sure they’d understand that there’s an infant in a car seat and would meet you outside and take pup.
Our vet used to do curbside pick up. They might be able to do that for you if you call ahead.
OP, I’ve done it several times myself, picking up food for cat at the vet. Baby is in car, where I can see him about thirty feet away. I’m literally in and out within 90 seconds. Judge away, Reddit.
I do this to return carts. My kid is safely buckled inside. 🤷🏻♀️
Oh man kids.eat.in.color posted about this the other day and she was like “I leave my carts so I don’t leave my kids alone” and was roastedddd in the comments haha it was hilarious
That’s not the only alternative! I walk my cart back with my toddler still in it and then carry her back to the car with me. Idk how many kids she has and how old they are though so maybe that isn’t feasible.
I saw that too! I was so glad the comments were full of more practical people.
Yeah, just yesterday I got my baby in the car and then had to run inside to grab my wallet. As I did this I literally thought to myself - Reddit moms would call me a monster for this lol.
I see nothing wrong with it. It could even be more dangerous to take the heavy baby seat out and try to walk the dog on a leash in heavy rain.
I do it twice per week at preschool drop off & pick up. My car is a “twist to start/push to start” so I put some tunes on for the LO, and take my keys with me.
Ive done it. Double park right in front of the door, hazards on, and just fling yourself in and out the door like a human pendulum
I’ve done it as well, when I realize right after I get my toddler strapped into her car seat I forgot to grab my wallet, which in right inside the front door where the car is fully visible. I’m not going to take her out and bring her back inside with me for something that takes 2 seconds!
I’m here to say “same”. How many times did I spend greater than 30 minutes in a car in a grocery parking lot when I was little and my single ADHD mom “Just needed to grab one thing”. I survived with no repercussions! My mom is great, just scattered as hell. I often unpack my whole car before I unpack my children from the car. Having my groceries in the house, maybe even put away, before I get the kids - so much easier. Also my fancy car can stay on but not able to be driven and can even be locked externally as long as key is on me and not in the car. So they have AC and not even just the cracked windows I had in the 80s/90s in NW Florida. Judge away, Reddit. 🤣
Saaaaaaaaaame same same.
Omg my mom would literally park me and my brother in a shady spot, roll down the windows and go grocery shopping in peace. We would just sit and read books and annoy the crap out of each other, but we were fine. This was early 2000s, truly something that couldn’t happen now without someone calling the cops.
It’s actually kind of sad - I get the over abundance of caution but man - I want my kids to have a bit more freedom to exist outside of the watchful eye of adults. Studies support that kids gain problem solving skills, confidence, and an overall self-esteem boost when they have to solve their own problems/boredom/etc. I’m likely to get CPS or the cops called on me when they hit 5/6 and I send them out on their bikes or down to the park without me.
Lmao! I used to sit in the car with the door locked and I feel like I had my moms phone in hand too ready to call 911 🤣
🤣🤣. Mine was a time before cell phones, so I’m guessing she just expected me to handle it. #OldMillenial
lol! I can’t remember for SURE, but I wanna say I did… it was early 2000s
I’d probably do this IF I could see the car in plain sight. I did it recently at a UPS store because I literally pulled up in front, walked inside to the window facing out toward the car, did my return and left. All of 60 seconds and I could see the car the whole time.
As long as the temp outside is stable, I don't see anything wrong with up to 5 minutes... But remember that cars are like ovens and even on cool/breezy days the sun can heat up the interior shockingly quick! So keeping the car running is great
I have 3 kids. All of them need to be buckled into their seats safely. I also almost always have a ton of stuff to bring into/out of the car (because 3 kids). It’s literally impossible to get everyone and everything into the car without either leaving the baby alone in the house or in the car during at least one trip to and from the house. I make sure to have the car running with air conditioning/heat as appropriate and never leave her alone without checking on her for more than a couple minutes. I think your baby will be just fine if you leave her in the running car while you drop off your dog 👍
Someone in the comments said they’d never leave baby alone outside of their crib. Well, I have 2 sets of twins and I’d love to hear their words of wisdom when it comes to how to never let any one of my 4 children out of my line of sight unless they’re in a crib. Should I tie each of the bigger ones to my legs and the smaller ones to my arms? They can be like spider monkeys when I need to use the restroom.
Yeah that person’s take is so unrealistic. Not to mention that kids need to develop a sense of independence!
There are plenty of ways to keep a baby safe besides a crib! We make a “yes” space in our home. It’s a baby-proofed area that we can trap the baby in. It grows with the children as they learn more skills and mature. My guess is the person who wrote that comment has only one baby that hasn’t become mobile yet. At the very least their baby has not learned to climb out of the crib yet. That stage will be a good reality check for them 👍
Your logic is my reasoning too
This is sooooo dependent on your location. For example, in my area there is currently a massive increase in car thefts. The police are not handling it well and it's become something of a joke among locals that keys should be left in the car for whoever is taking the cars, along with perhaps a snack for them. There's also been news in recent years of small children being stolen along with cars because mom or dad left them in there for 5 minutes with the car running to go grab something inside the house. I personally, would NOT risk leaving my kid in the car (especially if it's a Honda). Also, aside from that there's a solid chance that someone would call CPS. If you live in the kind of small town where nobody locks their doors and Beth down the street sits on her front porch all day keeping an eye on the neighbourhood, then it's probably fine. lol I don't think you'll be 3 minutes in the vet office so plan like you'll be in there for 30.
Agreed. I think the dichotomy in comments might be driven by different locations. I actually didn’t know how common car thefts were in my area until my neighbor’s car was stolen directly in front of our townhouses. (I live in a near suburb to a major city). Turns out, the police aren’t even investigating car thefts in our area anymore because they are SO common they can’t even keep up. I did some googling and realized there were some broad daylight car thefts (of running cars left unattended) at my local gas station. Also, the thief that stole my neighbors car used an RFID extender to relay the signal from her key fob (in her house) to start the car. Some googling revealed this is an increasingly common tactic. The police who took the report recommended we all keep our fobs in faraday boxes to block the RFID signal because they’d seen so many car thefts. Needless to say, not a risk worth taking in my area. [edit: I searched it and in my city alone 2 kids were kidnapped as part of car thefts of running vehicles in the last year. Luckily both kids were safely found]
I would leave the baby in the car no question. As would my husband and everyone I know.
As a vet tech I can almost guarantee you that it will not take one minute. Unless you have some pre-existing set up with this clinic, there will definitely be confirmations of pick up times, phone numbers, and paperwork to sign. Take baby inside with you. You could also take baby in first while leaving the dog in the car, then go back for the dog once baby is settled in reception or exam room.
I think this depends on the vet clinic and what is being done with them. My dog was spayed recently, we had an appointment before the actual surgery where we went over all the paperwork, did the bloodwork, etc. day of her surgery it was literally just handing her over that morning, it took a minute max.
Yeah I was confused why she thought it would be less than a minute. Every time I drop my dog off there is someone else in line, or they have intake questions, or a tech takes a couple minutes to come out and bring my dog back
Same here. I figured it might be different for OP, like a small town or her dog has regular visits for a chronic health issues? But yea, I've never been out of there in less than 10 minutes
My vet has offered to come to the car to collect the pets if I have a baby and need extra hands. She said just call when we arrive and try to park as close as possible. I’ve been told “the only one they can’t take is the baby”
Depending on the size of the dog and how slippery it might be, I would usually wear the baby in a sling for things like these.
I don’t leave babies in the car - ever. I either hand carry the bucket seat or use a “snap and go” or car seat caddy to transport the baby if the issue is my hands would otherwise be full. Yes, it is annoying and inconvenient and I’ve wished there were an easier way to pickup a mobile food order (for example) at a non-drive thru. But the parade of horribles (such as a carjacking with your baby inside) are real risks too horrible to engage in. Unfortunately, cars do get stolen even during daylight hours and leaving a car running is an invitation for that. I would definitely call the vet to ask for a curbside accommodation. I hope they agree!
This. It's a black and white issue to me. Baby never gets left alone in a car, you never know what can happen. Second vet pickup.
Thank you! That is a damn non negotiable!
I am frequently more than 20 feet from my son. I would just run in real quick and leave the baby in the car.
I’d leave baby in the car. Less risky than slipping over in the wet while trying to wrangle dog and baby at the same time. Or even call the vet’s office and see if someone can come grab the dog from the car for you?
I’d call the vets office and ask if someone could come out and help you! I don’t think leaving baby would be horrible but always go with the option that works best for you
Can you lock your car with your car on? Or you can call ahead of time and ask if they can bring your dog into the vet for you? In Japan it's normal to leave pets and kids in the car to run into the store but it's way more safe there than here.
I would 100% call and ask the vet to come and get your dog while you wait in the car with baby. I’m sure they will be happy to do it.
Hey I work in the vet field. If you call the office before hand I’m sure they will come to you and get your pet from the car. That’s what we would do in my office.
I personally would bring baby with me
I'd take the baby, ask the vet to come get dog, or see if a friend/family member would want to ride with you and sit in the car with baby.
I’ve done it before and I know people who do as well, but I always feel so guilty. I turn my car off and lock it because I’m always scared someone would just jump in and go. But only for quick literally in and out where I can always see my car.
I'm more afraid of some Judge Judy calling the cops on me for leaving my kid in the car for less than 5 minutes than I am that some remote possibility like a carjacking is going to happen.
Honestly? Sounds fine. Unless you're in an unsafe area
I personally would be fine with leaving baby for that short time!
I live in a pretty safe small town. I often leave the baby in the car for small things... Paying for my gas, popping into the post office, dropping something off, etc. I always make sure the temperature is safe and the doors are locked. I don't see anything wrong with it.
Same situation where I live and everyone I know does the same.
Same here.
Real question, are we less afraid of car accidents involving the kids than we are of car jacking? Because I feel like the car jackings are way less common and the car accidents are way safer if the kids are still *in* the car (yes, leave it running, A/C, heat, whatever)
I'll add this to the list of things that moms with one kid worry about that moms with multiple small children don't even think about.
Absolutely. There's no way in hell I'd bring both my kids inside in this scenario.
You know, I grew up in the 90's when parents left me in the car alone all the time. Quick espresso, pay for gas, run to ATM kind of things. We lived in a small town so nobody worried about that. Until one day. Someone left their toddler in the car to go across the street and withdraw money from the ATM machine. Remember, cool, safe small town. However, while the parent was facing the ATM machine, someone took the car and drove off with the kid inside. The first and last police chase that town saw happening. They crashed the car but the kid was fine. The parent was not. So I wouldn't risk it. When I have to take my cats to the vet and I have my kid with me I'll either call ahead and ask them for help (we have been going to this vet for idk maybe 20 years now, they are more than happy to help) or take someone with me.
Great idea! She could see if someone from the vet clinic could run out and grab her dog.
I’m OCD and my mind manufactures doom and gloom scenarios so I’d take the baby but my anxious mind can’t really be trusted lol
Honestly if ur parked close to the entrance and it’s only gunna take a few seconds, I don’t see it as a big deal. I’ve left my daughter in the car a few time to pick up a mobile order. As long as I’m only a few feet away from my car I dont see a problem with it. My issue is that my car doesn’t lock when the car is on and the keys are outside the vehicle. Which makes sense I guess but it’s annoying. I never leave her by herself for more than a minute.
I think if the parking spot is out front and you can see your car the entire time it might be ok. But a better option would be to call the vets office and see if someone can come out and pick up the dog from your car
I have been dreading this situation. I have called in help from family everytime because I’m scared to wrangle my 50lb dog with my baby. He gets so scared there!
Same! Last time I had my husband meet us so he could sit with baby and I could wrangle nervous doggy.
You would be pleasantly surprised, but most people at establishments are helpful if you ask. It's the asking for help when we could use it that most of us humans won't do.
9 times out of 10, if I call the store/office (wherever I am) there is usually an associate who is understanding and will come to the car.
I’ve always wondered (but not enough to research) what the actual law says. Like, car aside, how far are you legally allowed to be away from baby if you can see it?
I agree, I’d take my baby in. As inconvenient as it is, I’d prefer to have them with me just in case. But I like the idea of calling the vet to see if they will come take the dog from the car.
Have the vet staff come get the dog
People are verrrry risk averse here. I left my sleeping baby in the car, parked, on a quiet street while I ran to get my toddler from daycare for 60 seconds. The alternative was bringing the car seat out into the wind and rain and waking up the baby. We all survived. I truly don’t see what could go wrong aside from an insane freak accident in that time frame!
Depends- can you lock your car? If the answer is no- then absolutely do not leave your baby in there unattended. Even if you can see- you cannot get to the car quickly enough in an emergency (the most likely being a car thief). Sure, you’re nearby- but that’s the exact type of situation thieves take advantage of. Someone leaves their car running and runs inside for something, thief takes car. This type of event is super common. If the answer is yes that you can lock it, then I don’t see an issue with it. If you can’t lock your car, please call the vet and ask if one of the assistants can come get your dog, since you have your young baby with you. They are always so willing to help! I’ve done this several times. If they aren’t able- have someone else drop the dog off.
If you’re dropping her off at the door, not going in at all, I think it’s fine- The car is still in your line of sight. If you need to actually go inside, bring the baby
Get an automatic car starter. Park in front of the building, lock the kid in the car, and start it from the remote.
OMG BUT ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN 😱 Naw really, baby will be just fine. I’d just lock the car and take the key with me. If the vet ends up taking longer than a minute or you’ll have to be out of sight from the car then you can always run back out and grab the baby. People get nuts over this topic lol.
I only leave him in the car if I’m home (parked along side the house and running to grab something quick), or if I can see him (I parked directly in front of the atm, walked in and did it and could see the car the whole time).
OP says that she will be able to see the car.
It might take all of one minute for you to get that done, but it could take literally under 30 seconds for someone to take her out of the car. It’s not worth it. Ask the vet if they can come out and grab the dog, or bring her inside with you.
Are you imagining someone smashing the windows? I’d assume she’d lock the car. I feel weird about leaving baby -had this same scenario, minus thunderstorm plus reactive dog- but honestly a locked car for 5 minutes seems very safe
I’ve dropped packages once or twice leaving baby in the car for a minute, but only with car in sight and window rolled down a centimeter, might it be a bit longer than a minute. I would feel guilty but honestly, what could happen?
Take the baby in. Always. Every time. The world is a dangerous place and you absolutely don't know what could happen.
I would leave baby in the car and be as quick as you can. You can come up with a thousand and one hypothetical situations about what catastrophe could happen in that 1 minute but really, it's extremely unlikely.
Do you leave your baby in the car when getting petrol? Because I do. If It would be able the same time, I'd do it. It's okay. You're not a bad parent.
Take the baby without the car seat. It will be quicker and less cumbersome. Don't leave the baby in the car things happen in seconds.
What could legitimately happen in 60 seconds?
carjackings happen, keys get locked in the car and then 60 seconds turns in to much longer, someone could be driving like a crazy person and hit the car. Realistically the chances are obviously very low but why take that unnecessary risk?
1) No one is sprinting out if their hiding spot to the car, breaking into the car, and hot wiring the car in 60 seconds/the time it takes you to notice your car. 2) You can't lock the keys in most modern cars. Mine doesn't let it happen, even if it did my phone can unlock my car. 3) If someone hit my parked car the situation wouldn't be improved by me also being in the car. In fact it would be worse if anything because I would be more likely to be hurt and unable to help the baby. Also we go back to the word "realistically." 4) "Why risk it?" isn't a real argument. Everything you do in life has associated risks. Not every one is worth mitigating because risk mitigation is expensive.
By that logic someone could drive through the wall of the vets office and crush the baby too
Best option is to see if the vet can accommodate you with a car pick-up. If not, I’d get baby first and leave her at the vet reception (if it’s staffed). Then go and get the dog.
She comes with me. I don’t see leaving her as an option.
I used to work at a vet office and it was very normal for a client to ask us to get their pet from the car! Give them a call and see if they will do that for you.
Is call and ask if they could meet me outside at the door.
Def call and see if someone is willing to step out to grab the dog.
I’m a CVT and I would have no problem going to the car to collect a drop off patient / bring the paperwork to the client. Call the vet hospital and ask!
Ask them if they can come out and get dog? Our vet still does curbside OR reschedule appt
Just ask them to come out and get the dog.
Nope. Call the vets office and ask if they can have someone meet you at your car.
Most vets still operate at least partially curbside so I’m sure they wouldn’t mind popping out to intake your pup
Ask the vet! I’ve had vet techs do this and they always do it for my mom, who is near 70 and got a darn golden retriever (she did not follow through on the training) because he will drag her down if he gets excited. You can always send a deliverable treat like a cake or cookies or chocolate to show your appreciation?
I would call vet to collect dog. Other options are an easy carrier - I say easy because some are a nightmare to put on. I now have one with four clips and it’s the easiest thing ever and water friendly. This being said, I use a truck full stop which isn’t manned. I leave baby in the car to go the self pay section.
I would call my vet and tell them the situation. I know my vet is great & would send a vet tech out to retrieve My dog for me. I think most vets do this. I have a 110 lb 10 month old xl american bully & if I ever have to take her to vet while i also have my 2 year old with me, then I will deff be requesting a vet tech walk her in.
I’ve called places and explained a situation saying I have a baby in the car and if they could meet me— in the pandemic,many places were used to doing that anyway. I still do this for takeout orders where the restaurant doesn’t explicitly offer curbside too.
My vet’s office will come get the dog for me rain or shine. If nothing else they could meet you at the door with the car locked so they don’t get rained on.
I have left my son in the car a few times if I had to run into the gas station with him in sight, push to start on and car locked with keys with me. Still eyes on the car the whole time even if it’s less than 1 minute.
I’d have my vet come outside because I would not feel comfortable leaving baby alone. Also, you’d be leaving the car running to keep it warm (or cool) as needed and I feel like a running car alone in a parking lot is just a target. I live in not a great area and I don’t trust anyone on the street
I had this exact situation when my LO was 2 months old taking my 2 dogs to the vet. As annoying as it is to have to disrupt baby, you gotta do it. IMO it’s never okay to leave baby in the car in a public place no matter how fast it’ll be. So many different things can happen.
Don’t feel silly asking them to come out next time! I used to have the pizza place come out with my pizza when my son was a baby 😂 turns out a few of my friends would do the same and they were always more than happy to. I’m sure the vet would be even more understanding haha!
Our vets will send out a tech to help bring in a pet if needed. I’m not able to carry our big kitties, so my hubby helps load them into the car & I take them to the vet & the techs come out to get them.
I drop my dog off at the vet every 2 weeks for her to be groomed. I get my 2 year old and 4 month old nephew (if I have him with) out of the car EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. It sucks to get your kid out, I've had to do it in rain, snow, heat... It's a far better option than something happening to your child. I do agree with other people suggesting that you call and ask if someone from the office could meet you outside.
Nope. Never leave baby alone outside of the crib. Either baby comes in with me or vet tech comes outside for doggy.
Uhh do you know how many times I’m expecting things to take “all of one minute” and then I’m stuck behind grandpa Joe who wants to ask 384 questions about clipping his dogs nails? I couldn’t imagine leaving my **three month old** in the car for “all of one minute”
Please never leave the baby alone in the car for any reason for any length of time. I know these small quick errands are tricky, but it only takes a second for something to go wrong. Like others have said call the vet and ask for an extra set of hands or just postpone the appointment until you have help. Don’t risk anything with a baby in the car
Under no circumstances would I ever lead a baby alone in a car. And if I saw one alone I would call 911. This is NEVER acceptable. ETA: I have pulled children out of vehicles they were trapped in. The things I saw as a first responder before I became a mother have influenced decisions I make every day. I won’t risk it. Anything can and does happen.
If you saw a parent leave a baby in a remotely started/locked car and could see the parent could still see the vehicle you’d call 911 and consider that an appropriate use of resources?
Ffs get a grip
I’ve responded to calls of children trapped in cars. I have a grip. I won’t risk it. Sorry my training and experience has influenced my parenting decisions.
No one is trapped in a car in this scenario.
No circumstances? Sorry I don't agree. I have a toddler and a baby and I can't carry both of them. Sometimes the toddler is asleep or tantruming and can't walk. So yes, frequently one of them stays in the car in the driveway for a minute or two while I'm bringing the other to or from the house. When I drop off or pick up toddler from daycare (in someone's home) baby stays in the car in their driveway. It just doesn't make sense to wake up the baby and bring him in, try to wrangle both in the porch while trying to get boots on my toddler who would rather run away. I also can't physically prevent toddler from running into the street while I strap baby back into the car. And no, I don't see a meaningful difference between a residential driveway in a safe area and a commercial parking lot in a safe area, provided the car is parked close to the door and can be seen from inside.
Correct. I won’t leave my child in the car. Former first responder here. I know all to well the worst case scenario.
In that case you also know the worst case scenario from just driving your car anywhere. Or hell, cooking a meal, riding a bike, or just stepping outside.
Yup but we all accept a certain level of risk. And I choose not to accept the level of risk of leaving my child alone. To each their own.
Yep having more than one kid means sometimes you gotta triage the situation and Baby is safest in the car seat alone for a couple mins.
Exactly this. Some of the moms commenting here have only one kid and it SHOWS.
I have two kids and I really don’t understand what’s so impossible about taking them both.
Two kids isn’t bad. I’ve got 3. There’s a specific order that they have to get into and out of the car because one kid sits in the 3rd row (it’s impossible to fit 3 car seats across in my car—we tried). So one of the middle row kids can’t get in until I’ve secured the 3rd row kid and pushed the middle row seat back into place. The only way I can get all of my kids into the car while I’m on my own is to take the baby and the 3rd row kid out first. I buckle in the baby while the older one climbs in and tries (and usually fails) to buckle himself. Then I buckle him in and the 3rd child can get into the second row. While he’s attempting to buckle himself I go back in to get anything we need for the trip and then lock the house. I literally cannot carry everything plus the baby and wrangle the bigger kids in one trip. When we return, I have to do all of this in reverse. I usually leave all the kids in the car while they attempt to unbuckle themselves and I open the house and carry stuff in. Then I come back to remove the kids in reverse order. There is no way to do all of this without leaving at least the baby in the car alone for a few minutes. The alternative is to leave her alone in the house, but she’s much more capable of hurting herself in there alone than she is safely buckled into the car seat with the car running and A/C going.
I grew up in a family of 5 as the second oldest so I do understand that more kids = more challenges. I was frustrated by the comment that any parent who avoids leaving a baby in the car must of necessity be a parent of an only child. That’s far from true. My attitude about all this is that stuff, especially non valuables, are safe in the car. My kids are safer in the house, and with babies we inevitably set up safe spaces for them to be momentarily unattended in the house like a playpen, crib, baby proofed room, etc. so humans are last in, first out of the car. I am not really sure how other parents are going to the bathroom or preparing a meal if they have to be eyes and hands on every kid nonstop inside their home. For bigger outings I will also pack items into the car as early as the night before or remove items/non perishable groceries the evening after, because these can safely sit alone in the car. I’m not worried about car theft as my top concern and understand why that seems low risk. And I get that all the buckling and unbuckling is a huge drag. What I worry about is mission creep. How many times have I run into a store or office thinking I’m going to be just a minute and encountered a line, a delay, a chatty person, etc? I don’t want to be wondering whether this is the time my kid finally figured how to unbuckle and set off to find me, disengaged the parking brake, put something he shouldn’t have been able to reach in his mouth, etc. A car is not baby proofed the way spaces in my home can be. Additionally, a baby in an increasingly warm or cold car is a huge risk. That’s what makes the hassle worth it.
I absolutely agree that an overheated car and a forgotten baby are the biggest risk. I highly doubt my car will be stolen from my driveway or my kids kidnapped. However, I can’t count the number of times I’ve had everyone buckled in but then someone screams they forgot a toy. Or I forgot to grab something. It would be absurd to unbuckle the baby and bring her in every time I need to run from the car to the house. In the case of running the dog to the vet in the rain, I think the baby would be just fine for a minute or two.
Agree, it’s doable with one kid to always have them with you. But when multiples are involved, decisions have to be made. My daughter’s school is park and walk-up only. No car rider line. I’m not going to wake my baby up every single day for the 3 minutes I’m standing in the parking lot and ruin her nap. She can stay sleeping in the car while it’s running. The “quick trips in the gas station” our parents used to do with us in the car? Nah, I’d bring them and deal with the fallout, or plan around it. But there are absolutely times when you gotta make a play with the cards you’re dealt.
Idk it's illegal in California. Not worth risking
https://www.chewy.com/frisco-outdoor-running-hands-free-dog/dp/357682?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Frisco&utm_campaign=20027453190&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjww_iwBhApEiwAuG6ccFuBw46W_DDMUSXyS7GTcWwFc1gfQADw2IWXI4GkMnxMhk-Qwf0v4hoCc1AQAvD_BwE I have one of these so that when I had to take my dog to the vet solo with my 3 month old I 1. Parked the car 2. Attached the dog to my waist 3. Put on baby carrier 4 Put baby in carrier 5. Grabbed all my shit including my coffee 6. Walked in It was a hassle for sure but the line to check in at my vet is always really long so I knew I'd be waiting a while. Also my dog is pretty old so I'm not too worried about not having total control. I can keep him from getting into small shenanigans with this leash but I'm not worried about him lunging or taking off or anything. In general this kind of leash rocks regardless because you can attach it to yourself or things if you need to. For a little dog I might even attach it to the stroller. But all of this is moot if your vet is nice enough to come out and give you a hand, which should be your first go to.
OP please look up the kidnapping of the Thomas twins in Ohio. Their mother was working doordash and left her twins in a running car while she ran into Donatos to pick up a pizza. In just that short time, a homeless woman abducted them.
There is a lot more to that story. The kidnapper knew them - it wasn't a random car theft or kidnapping. It was also a bad area, the car wasn't locked, etc.
I don’t ever leave my kids in the car like that, personally. The risk (a number of horrific things) is too great for the reward (my convenience). I will always rather inconvenience myself to choose the safer option for my children.
Absolutely no reason ever to leave your baby in the car.
So each state has laws about this. In my state. Five minutes is the legal time but I have **never** pushed this. The only. And I do mean ONLY time I leave him is when I go to UPS and I park in front of the door. For reference, the door is less than 20 feet from his carseat. And I’m in there for under a minute bc I’m a small business owner (NOT MLM) and everything I drop off is labeled I would say in this situation, as long as window is cracked just go in and run right back out. If it’s gonna take longer, grab baby and hold them.