Wal-Mart terminates their employees for helping dogs in overheated cars.

Is there any actual proof that Wal-Mart as a corporation has this
policy? I worked for the company for several years, and I am not aware
of such policy at a corporate level. If you research, there have been
many unfortunate instances that have resulted from STORE MANAGERS or
employees simply making bad judgement calls. Could it be individual
store managers making these rules, or simply an employee saying it's
against the policy just to "pass the buck".

I even read in the initial letter
"Wal-Mart, it's hard to believe this is your policy and furthermore
you will terminate any employee who helps the animal."
Because it's likely that it IS NOT their policy at all! Further more,
even if it was a policy, most companies do not terminate employees
after a single policy violation, which makes this even harder to
believe.

I am not defending Wal-Mart, I am only saying perhaps this is directed
to the wrong audience.

I've read most of the replies; there were "champions" on both sides of
the "argument." MY opinion is that there should not be a policy
within WalMart's, or any others', guidelines wherein an employee would
be fired based on acting upon the above-referenced situation. In an
ideal world, an employee should at least be allowed to make an
announcement over the loudspeaker and/or inform their manager so that
maybe the animal - or small child (as has happened so many times in
the past) - might have the time on their side to be saved. They don't
hesistate to make announcements when someone is parked illegally! Now
me, I would have called 911 first with the situation and the location,
followed by informing someone in the store! It's my guess that the
police, once there, will want specifics.

Blame the people that would file a lawsuit against Walmart for doing
anything to help their pet instead of Walmart.

I have always said ~ if I see a dog in a closed up car on a too hot
day, I will smash the window and then take the consequences. Don't
care. Heat stroke is a terrible way for an animal to die.

You walk into the store and tell the manager about a dog left in a hot
car and he can't/won't help, so instead of you calling for help
yourself you just walk away?

I don't understand why you are unable to call the police/animal
control/whatever YOURSELF.

If you were to see someone being mugged in the parking lot would you
wait for walmart to call the police?

A carjacking?

A robbery?

Why is it the stores complete responsibility to call the police? YOU
were the one who saw a crime being committed. And yes, I believe that
is cruel and is a crime against the animal.

What would you do if you saw the same situation, but it was NOT in a
store parking lot...maybe just a car parked on the side of the road or
something. Would you just shake your head and say "tsk, tsk, someone
should call the cops..." and walk away? If the answer is yes, then
DO NOT expect ANYONE ELSE to have a different answer.

I don't wait on anyone to call, once I see a pet in a hot car with no
owner in site, I immediately call the police. If you don't intend on
taking the animal with you, then leave them at home. Same goes for
children.

You can scream and rant and blame and legislate until you are blue in
the face, but you can't make a stupid person not be stupid.

They passed all kinds of laws about driving drunk because people were
outraged that innocent people were being killed. Has it stopped or
even reduced the number of drunk driving fatalities or even the
DUI/DWI citations that are issued?

No.

Eating McDonald's makes you fat. Anyone with an IQ over 6 should be
able to tell that griddle fried burgers laden with mayo, cheese and
bacon with deep fat fried potatoes and a sugar-laden, carbonated
beverage is NOT a healthy choice. But does it stop morons from suing
McDonald's because they're fat?

No!

They put restrictions on cigarettes and alcohol so that children
cannot use them. Does it stop underage drinking and smoking?

NO!!!

As others have said, someone that freaking ignorant to trap their pet
in a hot car with no means to escape or even breathe is NOT going to
be reasonable enough to understand why they shouldn't do it - even IF
they are ticketed for animal cruelty.

I'm not saying not to not care. I'm not saying not to get involved.
But if you want to be outraged, then do something about it! Don't lay
it at WalMart's feet and expect them to take care of it.

You know, it's too bad that too many stupid idiots are allowed to own
dogs and leave them in cars on hot days. I'd rather the owners cook
to death in their enclosed cars.

Why is the Wal Mart managers job to call the police when you are aware
of a crime? Why are you not calling yourself? When I get these
reports, I immediately offer the complainer the use of our phone if
they would like to call and encourage them to do so.

When I observe something that I find suspicious or that I know is a
crime, I pull out my phone and call myself.

It's a tough reality, but retailers (and I'm sure other companies)
run some financial risks when calling the police - people are sue
happy.

Call yourself - direct your outrage at the idiot who left their animal
in the car, not the person to whom you tried to pawn off the
responsibility of reporting the incident.

he just wants a chance to belittle and rage at the person, but doesnt
put in any effort to personally call the cops or animal control to fix
the situation.

So call the cops yourself.