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Tag: hot car

Hot Car – A Year Round Threat to Your Pet

Don’t let the changing trees and cool fall breeze fool you. With summer winding down, many pet owners may think it’s okay to leave their pet in the car for “just a few minutes”. Did you know that the temperature in your car rises the most in the first ten minutes of being parked in the sun? “Quick trips” in somewhere will have little effect on how hot your pet becomes. Here is a quick overview of how the temperature in your car changes after being parked:

How Hot Will Your Car Get?

  • The First 10 Minutes: The temperature increases between 10-20 degrees.
  • The First 30 Minutes: The temperature is increasing by an average of over one degree per minute. A car parked in the sun on a 75 degree day will heat up to approximately 105 degrees during a 30 minutes time frame.
  • The First Hour: The temperature inside is, on average, 43 degrees hotter than it is outside.

Sure, cracking a window can help, but only so much. Studies have shown on an 85 degree day, with the windows cracked, interior temperatures still reached 102 degrees in 10 minutes! That’s mighty toasty, especially if you’ve got a fur coat on!

We know it can be hard to leave your pet at home when they give you those eyes and look dejected… Trust us though, a sad pet at home is better than a heat stressed (or worse) pet along for the ride.

 

Thanks to Fred Beans of West Chester for the helpful infographic!

Hot Car + Pet: Do You Know What To Do?

No matter how many reminders, news stories, memes and infographics warn about the dangers of leaving pets locked in cars on hot, or even mild days, people continue to do it. On a moderate day with temperatures in the 70’s, the heat can rise to 100-110 degrees in a parked car. In the summer when outdoor it’s in the 90’s, it takes just 10 minutes to hit 160+ inside a car.  As a concerned pet lover, what should you do if you see a pet left in a hot car?

Helping A Pet In A Hot Car

  • Assess the situation – Don’t assume the worst. Look around and see if you can locate the owner nearby. Observe the animal to see if they are in heat distress or not. Visual symptoms of heat distress are excessive panting and lethargy.
  • Wait a minute – Unless you perceive the pet to be in severe distress wait a few minutes to see if the owner returns. You may spend this time taking note of the vehicles make and model, and pulling up the local sheriffs number.
  • Get help – If the dog is in severe distress enter the business  you believe the owner to be in and give the manager the vehicles make, model and color and ask that they be paged. If the pet is in clear distress, call the local law enforcement and let them know the pets condition in the hot car.
  • Know your risk – Many people will break windows to rescue animals in hot cars. Know your states laws regarding pets left in hot vehicles. If it is legal, always look for a corroborating witness who agrees it is an emergency situation. There is a chance that you may face charges. Always contact the local law enforcement agency or humane society before you take action.
  • Know how to cool a pet down – Make water available, and if possible wet the animal, but not with ice water! You want to cool them slowly and not shock their system.

photo credit: Headrest via photopin (license)