Why You Shouldn’t Ever Leave Your Dog in Your Car
The warmer weather is upon us in Southern California and many of us are starting to spend more time outdoors. A lot of us enjoy the company of our dog while we’re out and about. While it’s ok to take your dog with you if you will be going to the park or beach, it might best to leave them home while you’re out running errands.
If you take your dog with you everywhere you go, it’s important that you never leave them in the car, even for a just few minutes. The consequences of doing so can be severe under conditions much milder than you might realize. The intense heat inside a vehicle, regardless of the make or model, can be brutal and unrelenting.
How dogs deal with heat
A dog’s primary defenses against the heat are panting and their coat. Panting releases moisture and their coat is specially designed to provide insulation against the sun’s rays. The average body temperature for an adult dog ranges from 99.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
What happens to a dog in a hot car?
When a dog is left in a hot car, they pant to keep cool. The more they pant the more body fluid they lose. Even after just a few minutes, a dog can develop symptoms of non-fever hyperthermia or heat stroke. The longer a dog is subjected to intense heat, the greater the chance that it will affect all of their vital systems. Even though senior dogs and puppies are at the greatest risk, dogs of any age that are left in a hot car can suffer from multiple organ failure and/or death.
How hot is too hot?
Vehicles are built from materials that trap, conduct and distribute heat. Parking under a shady tree, using a reflective dashboard or windshield cover or leaving the windows open only makes a very small difference. The interior of a vehicle gets extremely hot, very quickly. The air temperature only needs to be between 81 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit for a dog to begin showing signs of heat distress. If it is 89 degrees outside, the interior of your vehicle can reach 123 degrees within just 30 minutes.
What to do if you see a dog alone in a car
If you see a dog alone in a parked vehicle you should always attempt to locate the owner. Write down the vehicle’s license plate just in case legal action is necessary. Alert the local authorities. If you feel that you must intervene, remember that you do so at your own risk.
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