Protect Your Pet Against the Dangers of Hot Cars
The inside of a car can heat up to 110° F in 10 minutes on an 80° F day - even with the windows slightly open. Your pet will suffer needlessly and could die when left in your car even on a moderately hot day. Your pet would be safer at home.
And consider this: causing an animal to be subjected to unnecessary cruelty or suffering is a felony in Massachusetts and is punishable by imprisonment for up to two and one half years and a fine of $2,500.
A July 2005 Pediatrics Journal article stated:
1. The interior of cars in the sun can get awfully hot, even on moderate temperature days.
The physicians doing the study took readings on days ranging from 72 to 96 degrees.
The study suggested that it was not unreasonable to assume an ultimate 40 degree rise over ambient temperatures.
2. Cars heat up very quickly.
Over the first 20 minutes, the temperature in the cars went up an average of 6.25 degrees every five minutes.
Within the first 30 minutes, the temperature inside the car had already reached 80% of its peak temperature.
Peak temperature was reached within about 60 minutes.
Over the entire course of the cars’ heating, the temperature went up an average of about 3.3 degrees per every 5 minutes.
3. Cracking the windows didn’t significantly help.
With windows cracked 1.5 inches, the temperature rose about 10% slower than the rates in 2a and 2d above.
4. AC didn’t really serve as a preventative measure.
After the AC was shut off, it took about 5 minutes for the car temperature to equalize with the outside temp, and then things heated up normally.
5. These measurements were taken from a part of the car that was shaded.
What to look for:
Heat Stress Symptoms
Danger signals to watch for in a dog or cat:
1. heavy panting
2. rapid breathing
3. staggering
4. weakness
When breathing suddenly becomes quiet with any of these symptoms, the animal may collapse.
An animal affected by heat-stroke can die in minutes, but proper care may save its life.
Treatment
• Safely and immediately remove the animal from its hot environment, to a safe shaded area if possible.
• Slowly cool the animal by placing it in cool, not cold, water. Reduce body heat gradually.
• If possible, the wind or a fan breeze directed to wet areas of the animal's body will help with cooling.
• Take the distressed pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible. Treatment for dehydration and other serious problems will be necessary.
Intervention
If you see an animal locked in a car on a hot day:
• Locate the owner as quickly as possible. If the car is parked at a store, ask a store employee to page the owner.
• If the owner cannot be found quickly, call the police to free the animal from the car. Take first-aid measures noted above.