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Never leave your pets in the car in the hot sun.

Monday, July 5, 2010
posted by Jim Murphy

dog-in-car-2It takes only minutes for a pet left in a parked car in the sun on a warm day to succumb from heatstroke or suffocation. Did you know if the temperature is 78 degrees outside and you left your car in the sun with the windows shut, that car could reach 160 degrees! Could you imagine what that would do to your pet?  Even if the temperature is in the 60’s, experts recommend not to leave pets or children a car parked in the sun even for a short period of time.  Rolling down the window and parking in the shade doesn’t guarantee protection for your pet if the temperature is in the 90’s. Plus, with the window rolled down, you run the risk of your pet escaping. What if you leave the air conditioner on. Here’s a true account of what can happen.

This excerpt was taken from an article written on July 5, 2010 entitled “Pets in Hot Cars.”

In 2003, a police dog in Texas died after the air-conditioning in the patrol car shut down and began blowing hot air. The air system’s compressor kicked off because the engine got too hot. Many cars, including modern models with computerized functions, are prone to the same problem. In August 2004, a North Carolina couple lost two of their beloved dogs, and nearly lost their third dogs, as result of a similar failure. They had left bowls of water and ice in the car, and the air-conditioning on, during their shopping trip of less than 30 minutes.

So what’s the answer? If you are traveling with a pet, it’s better to travel with more than one person. While one person go into the rest stop, the other can stay with the pets with the car on and the air conditioner running. This is what I usually do. The other option, is to travel a night when the temperature is cooler and there is no sunlight.  Make sure you take the dog water bowl and stop frequently to give your dog a drink.



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