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How hot is your car?
Dogs and cats cannot sweat, they can only cool off by panting, exchanging hot air for cool. When pets are in a parked car exchanging hot air for hot air, they are at an immediate risk for heatstroke. This is especially true of flat-faced (brachycephalic) dogs, who can’t breathe as efficiently and can suffer overheating even on cool days.
It’s no secret that pets and cars on a sunny day do not mix. If you see a pet in danger, say something:
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Alert business management
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Call police or animal control
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Record vehicle information: make, model, color, license plate
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Stay with the pet until help arrives — you can save a life!
Temperatures rise faster than you think
| Temperature outside | Temperature inside vehicle | |
| After 10 min | After 30 min | |
| 70°F | 89°F | 104°F |
| 75°F | 94°F | 109°F |
| 80°F | 99°F | 114°F |
| 85°F | 104°F | 119°F |
| 90°F | 109°F | 124°F |
| 95°F | 114°F | 129°F |
Courtesy: Jan Null, CCM; Department of Geosciences, San Francisco State University
Even with window cracked, the inside of your car can increase to life-threatening temperatures within minutes.
Need to run errands? Do your pet a favor and leave them at home. Never leave your pet unattended in the car, even with a window cracked, and especially not in the sun. If you need to take your furry friend with you, have another person stay with them in the car and keep the air conditioning running. When in doubt, leave your pet at home.
Sign up for our
PET NEWSLETTER
Content curated for you and your pet, straight to your inbox. Sign up to receive:
- Hot tips on pet health
- The latest pet trends
- Chances to win big
- And more!