Pet care safety: Dogs in hot cars

On a hot day, the answer is easy: don’t.

How long can you leave your pet in the car?

No one likes waiting in the car on a hot summer day, but pets are especially at risk. Leaving your pet in a hot car is dangerous. Read on for advice about pet car safety and what to do when you see a dog in a hot car.

Dogs and cats cannot sweat; they can only cool off by panting—exchanging hot air for cool through the moisture evaporation taking place in their mouths. Pets in a hot car can only exchange hot air for the same hot air in the car. This puts them at immediate risk for heatstroke. Brachycephalic, or short-faced dogs are especially vulnerable—they can’t breathe as efficiently and can overheat even on cool days

If you see a pet in danger, say something. You can save a life!

• Alert business management
• Call police or animal control
• Record vehicle information: make, model, color, license plate
• Stay with the pet until help arrives

Hot in a hurry: temperatures inside a car rise faster than you think

^{Courtesy: Jan Null, CCM; Department of Geosciences, San Francisco State University}

Even with a cracked window, the inside of your car can increase to life-threatening temperatures within minutes.

Is it illegal to leave a dog in a car?

The laws can vary widely between municipalities.

Need to run errands? Do your pet a favor and leave them behind. 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 someone stay with them in the car and keep the air conditioning running. When in doubt, leave your pet at home.