“Never leave your pet in a parked car when the outside temperature is above 70 degrees. Not even with the windows partway down, not even in the shade, not even for a quick errand. Dogs and cats can’t sweat like humans, so they pant to lower their body temperature. If they’re inside a car, recycling very hot air, panting gives no relief, and heat stroke can happen quickly.” ~ Michael Dix DMV, Director, Best Friends Animal Society
Have you ever left your dog in a hot car?
Unfortunately, dogs suffer and die in hot cars every year in the U.S. It’s so easy make the mistake of leaving them in a vehicle – even for a “quick minute” while you run into the store or do a quick errand.
A parked car is a deathtrap for a dog. On a day where the temperature is 78 degrees, the temperature in a parked car can escalate to 100 degrees in minutes. And, if it’s 90 degrees outside the temperature in a car can reach as high as 109 degrees in less than 10 minutes.
A dog can sustain brain damage or die from heatstroke in 15 minutes in a hot car. This is because it is extra hard for them to stay cool by panting.
Take a look at this chart to see how quickly a car can heat up and become a safety risk for an animal.
What To Do If You See a Dog in Distress in a Hot Car?
The first thing to do if you see a dog left alone in a hot car (outside temperature above 70 degrees) is to write down the car’s make, model, color and license plate number. If you can determine where the owner might be, try having the owner paged in a nearby building. If that doesn’t work, try calling the El Paso County Animal Law Enforcement (Colorado Springs) at 719-473-1741. In Pueblo, call 719-544-3005. Don’t leave the scene until the situation has been resolved.
If the authorities are unresponsive or too slow and you think the dog is in imminent danger, find a witness to back you up and then take steps to remove the suffering animal from the car. Wait for the authorities to arrive.
Symptoms of Heat Stroke in a Dog
Here are the symptoms of heat stroke you should look for:
- Restlessness
- Excessive thirst
- Thick saliva
- Heavy panting
- Lethargy
- Lack of appetite
- Dark tongue
- Rapid heartbeat
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Bloody diarrhea
- Lack of coordination.
How to Help a Dog in Danger of Heat Stroke
If a dog show any of the above symptoms, get them out of the heat immediately. The best place is in an air-conditioned vehicle or building, and then to a veterinarian right away. Time is of the essence. If you are able to transport the dog yourself, take them into an air-conditioned building and call animal control. Tell them it is an emergency.
Provide drinking water and spray them with cool water if you have access to a garden hose or tub of cool water. You can also place the dog in front of a fan. Applying cool, wet towels on the dog can also help. Don’t use ice water and don’t overcool the animal.
If you see a dog in a car but the dog is not in danger, you can leave a leaflet on the vehicle to remind the dog owner to not leave their animal in the car. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) offers leaflets you can order to put on people’s car windows if you so desire.
A Good Alternative to Leaving Your Dog in the Car
If you need to be out and about on a warm day and need a place to bring your, consider dropping him or her off to come and play with the Canine Campus pack. Our facility is air conditioned and has fans to ensure your pup will be nice and cool. And, on many days when it’s hot outside, we fill kiddie swimming pools up with water for your dog to splash and play in! Give us a call at 719-448-9600.
Canine Campus is a MUCH better solution than leaving your dog in a too-hot vehicle. Wouldn’t you agree?
Have you seen a dog left in a hot car? How did you handle it? Please let us know in the comments below.
Thanks for the information and the good job done of writing this blog post!!!
This reading is so interesting. Very useful info. Thanks.