Protecting Pets from Hot Car Dangers

While there are no official statistics on the number of pets that succumb to heat exhaustion in cars each year, widely reported news stories have shed light on this tragic issue, which is entirely preventable.

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K-9s Tragically Lost in Police Cars

During the last week of May 2015, a heartbreaking record was set as a total of 11 K-9 dogs in various states, including California, Texas, Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin, tragically died due to heat exhaustion inside hot cars.

Most handlers didn't intend for their loyal companions to meet such a fate, mistakenly assuming that their dogs would be OK. The sobering truth is that even on relatively "cool" summer days with temperatures in the high 70s, the temperature inside a car, even with windows cracked, can prove deadly for a dog.

Understanding Heat Exhaustion in Dogs

A dog can start experiencing heat exhaustion once temperatures reach 83 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat stroke can become rapidly fatal when their core temperature nears 106 degrees F.

Signs of heat exhaustion in dogs include panting, drooling, vomiting, weakness, collapsing, and seizures. Brachycephalic breeds with short snouts, such as boxers, pugs, Shar-Peis, Boston terriers, mastiffs, and bulldogs, are more susceptible to heat stroke and can succumb to heat exhaustion more swiftly than dogs with longer snouts.

The Deadly Impact of Heat and Humidity

Humidity plays a crucial role in heat stroke and heat exhaustion in dogs. Elevated humidity increases the heat index; for example, a seemingly mild 75-degree day with 75 percent humidity can feel like a scorching 150-degree day to a dog wearing a fur coat. This combination can be lethal.

To protect your furry friend, it's best to exercise dogs during the cooler hours of the morning or evening and avoid taking them in the car if there's a chance they'll be left waiting.

Hot Car Temperatures Soar

The temperature inside a car can rise dramatically, even with windows cracked open. In just the first 10 minutes, it can surge an additional 20 degrees. Within five minutes, the temperature inside your car can climb another 10 degrees, and so on.

By then, it's already too hot for your dog, and heat exhaustion has set in. Within minutes, your beloved pet could suffer from heatstroke, which can be fatal.

If you have any doubts about whether it's safe to bring your dog along on a warm day, don't take the risk. Leave your pet in a cool and safe place at home. Protecting your pet from hot car dangers is essential and entirely within your control.

How to Help Dogs in Hot Cars Legally During the Summer

Tips Provided by the Animal Legal Defense Fund

As the summer season approaches and temperatures soar, the risk of dogs suffering due to negligent owners leaving them in hot cars also increases.

Even on a seemingly mild 70-degree day, the temperature inside a closed car with all windows shut can reach a scorching 90 degrees in just 10 minutes. On a hot day, the temperature inside a sealed vehicle can skyrocket to as high as 116 degrees in the same brief timeframe.

So, what can you do while staying within the boundaries of the law if you come across an animal in distress confined in a locked car? The Animal Legal Defense Fund, the foremost legal advocacy organization for animals in the nation, offers some valuable guidance.

If you encounter an animal in distress, dial 911.

In most states, public safety officers have the legal authority to enter a vehicle and rescue an animal when its life is endangered. Calling 911 represents the first step in potentially saving that animal's life.

Familiarize yourself with your state's regulations!

An increasing number of states are enacting "hot car" laws, which make it illegal to leave a companion animal unattended in a parked vehicle. However, these laws vary significantly from one place to another:

• Only three states—Wisconsin, Florida, and Tennessee—have "Good Samaritan" laws that permit anyone to break a car window to save a pet. (Ohio will enact a similar law at the end of August 2016)

• In 17 states, exclusively designated public servants like law enforcement and humane officers are legally authorized to enter a car to rescue an animal forcibly. (These states include Arizona, California, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, and Washington)

• In New Jersey and West Virginia, despite the illegality of confining an animal in a hot car, no one possesses the authority to break into a vehicle to rescue the distressed animal, not even law enforcement.

• California and New York are considering pending legislation granting any concerned bystander the legal right to aid an animal in distress. In Pennsylvania, the proposed legislation would criminalize confining a dog or cat in a vehicle under conditions that endanger its well-being and would empower police officers, volunteer or professional firefighters, humane officers, security guards, or first responders to intervene and save the animal.

• The penalties for causing the death of a companion animal in a hot car remain relatively limited. In most states, even repeat offenders face only misdemeanor charges, civil fines, or infractions. Maine and South Dakota's laws lack any penalties whatsoever, although an owner in Maine may regain custody of an animal taken from their vehicle only after settling all costs associated with the animal's care, treatment, and impoundment.

Educate the public about the risks of leaving pets unattended in vehicles

When an animal perishes in a hot car, many owners claim they left their pet "just for a minute." If you witness someone leaving their pet in a parked car, inform them that the temperature inside the vehicle can soar rapidly, even on a seemingly pleasant day. Opening a window does not eliminate the risk of heatstroke or death.

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Spread the word using the Animal Legal Defense Fund sunshade

The Animal Legal Defense Fund has designed sunshades that remind pet owners about the hazards of leaving animals unattended in cars. These sunshades feature a prominent message, "Warning: Don't leave dogs in hot cars," which can be easily read from a distance in a parking lot. Additionally, they encourage individuals to dial 911 if they encounter animals locked in a car and in distress.