Family pets left in hot cars
You run into the store for a minute to buy your Niece a birthday gift . A few gift options are discussed with the nice sales lady. She tells you a funny story about getting whacked with the stick as her granddaughter tried to break open a piñata at her birthday party. More gift options are explored. Next thing you know, your quick 5 minute stop has turned into 25 minutes.
Then it hits you like a thunderbolt. Oh my God... I left Fluffy in the car. You rush to check out. You wonder if the window you left cracked is enough to provide cool air in this 90 degree heat. (it isn't!). You hope and pray she is ok... You know you'll never forgive yourself if she isn't.
Scenarios like this play out across America everyday. Distracted pet owners leave their pet in the car as they run errands or decide to make a "quick stop"
They think that leaving a window cracked is enough or that "only 10 or 15 minutes" isn't too long to leave their family pet in a car parked in the sun.
Never leave your pet in a parked car when the outside temperature is above 70 degrees. Not even with all four windows cracked, not even in the shade, not even if it is only for a "quick stop".
Dogs and cats don't sweat like humans, so they pant to lower their body temperature. If they’re inside a car, recycling very hot air, panting gives no relief, and heat stroke can happen quickly.
Heat stroke can permanently damage a pet rapidly. The change of only a few degrees to a dog’s normal body temperature can quickly result in coma, organ dysfunction, permanent brain damage or even death.
In addition to the years of shame, guilt and sorrow for your responsibilty in seriously injuring or
the death a beloved pet, there are also other ramifications should you leave your pet alone in a hot car.
In many states, if a passerby sees a pet left unattended in a hot car they are legally entitled to smash the window to give the dog or cat relief and possibly save its' life from the agonizing death of heat stroke. In California for instance, a law signed by governor Jerry Brown, protects people from criminal charges, as long as all other means of saving the animal have been exhausted. And, the person breaking the window must stay with the car until police arrive.
