Vacations to Disneyland Resort are filled with choices that shape a guest’s entire experience. Do you choose Park Hopper tickets, or is a single-park pass enough to make the most of your day? Will your budget allow for a stay at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, or do you find comfort in one of the many Good Neighbor hotels nearby?
Even smaller decisions like where to eat and how much to set aside for merchandise add up quickly, making the planning process both thrilling and, at times, overwhelming.
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For pet owners, the list of considerations is even longer. While Walt Disney World Resort in Florida has kennel options, Disneyland Resort does not provide an official pet boarding service. This means families are left to make arrangements outside the property. Options range from pet-friendly hotels in the Anaheim area to trusted caretakers found through websites like Rover, or even friends and family.
Disneyland’s Guest Information line also offers assistance for visitors unsure of where to turn. With resources so readily available, there are few excuses for leaving a pet unattended while spending a day at the parks.
Yet, despite these options, not everyone makes the responsible choice. Some guests take risks that can endanger the very animals they should be protecting. Recently, one such incident occurred in one of Disneyland Resort’s busiest parking garages, leaving bystanders shocked at what they encountered.
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According to Reddit user Opposite-Spare8637, the shocking discovery unfolded in the Mickey & Friends parking structure. The user described hearing a dog barking before locating it inside a parked car.
wtf is wrong with people?? it reached 90° today and at 8pm it’s still 80°. they left the windows cracked and a food and water bowl in the backseat, so they planned the dog to stay in there for hours on end. dog was barking its head off too and panting so much. it’s so sad. this was in the mickey and friends parking garage
someone left their dog in the car
byu/Opposite-Spare8637 inDisneyland
The sight of the distressed pup immediately raised alarm. At the time, temperatures in Southern California hovered around 80 degrees, having climbed to 90 earlier in the day. For humans, those conditions can feel warm but manageable. Inside a car, however, the heat becomes life-threatening. Studies show that at 90 degrees outside, the inside of a vehicle can soar to 133° in just one hour. Even when the temperature is a seemingly mild 80 °, a closed car can climb to 123° in under sixty minutes.
The original poster explained that the dog was panting heavily and barking frantically. Wanting to act quickly, they contacted Disney security. According to updates provided online, Disney’s security team instructed them to give the dog space, assuring them that they were trained to handle these types of emergencies.
The guest noted that the car had South Dakota license plates, indicating that the animal’s owners had likely brought it along on a lengthy road trip. Still, it was unclear how long the animal had already been left in the vehicle.
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The poster further admitted uncertainty about involving law enforcement, saying they considered calling the police but were unsure whether it would make matters worse. For now, the fate of the owners and their pet remains unclear. It is not known if police were eventually contacted, whether arrests were made, or if the animal was returned to its owners after the incident.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time animals have been discovered inside hot cars at Disney properties. Last summer, a case at Walt Disney World drew national attention when a man left four puppies in a car while his family enjoyed a meal at Disney Springs. The puppies were rushed to Animal Kingdom’s veterinary hospital, but despite their best efforts, one of them did not survive.
The remaining puppies were not returned to the guest and instead found new homes after being adopted by Disney firefighters.
California law is clear on matters like this. Per Penal Code 597.7:
“It is illegal to leave an animal in a car if by doing so you endanger the health or well-being of the animal. Do not leave an animal in your car during hot or warm weather. Other factors to consider are if the car is in the sun and if the windows are rolled up not allowing ventilation. Your best course is to leave your pet at home when you run errands.”
In other words, cracking windows or leaving behind bowls of food and water does not absolve owners of responsibility. With the heat climbing inside cars much faster than most people realize, even brief periods of confinement can prove fatal.
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Guests familiar with Disneyland Resort know how hot late August and early September can be in Southern California. These months often deliver some of the highest temperatures of the year, making enclosed vehicles particularly dangerous. Sadly, that hasn’t stopped some individuals from making reckless decisions, with pets left to rely on bystanders or Disney security for help.
The Reddit post describing the incident gained quick attention online, gathering thousands of upvotes and hundreds of comments. Many readers expressed frustration and anger at the idea that any guest would risk their pet’s life while spending the day inside the parks.
For many pet owners, this is unthinkable, as their animals are considered family members. Still, negligence from even a small percentage of visitors can lead to tragic outcomes.
Are you surprised that guests still leave their animals in cars while visiting Disney theme parks? Do you believe Disney security should immediately involve the police in situations like this? Should owners who endanger their pets face charges, or should their animals be permanently removed from their care? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and join the conversation about this troubling incident.
