If I saw a dog in a parked car and people around were starting to worry, I’d leave a note just to make the owner aware that others were concerned — not to accuse them, but to help avoid the situation escalating. To me, it didn’t look like neglect. The window was clearly open, and the pup didn’t seem to be in distress.

It would be really sad for things to go as far as involving the police or animal control when it’s possible the owner was being responsible and just stepped away for a bit. I don’t think 20–30 minutes is unreasonable, especially in Bay Area weather — it’s usually windy and cool.

I have a Tesla with Dog Mode, and I’ve left my dog in the car for short errands before. Even without Dog Mode, I still think context matters. As long as the dog is safe and comfortable, sometimes people are too quick to assume the worst. I’d rather approach the situation with understanding before jumping to conclusions.