As the sweltering summer temperatures continue to rise, it is important to remember to keep yourself cool. You do not want to get overheated and suffer from one of many heat-related ailments. The same holds true for your pets.
Sadly, thousands of pets die each year after being left in hot cars. These incidents are preventable with just a little common sense. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the temperature inside a vehicle on a hot day can reach 114° in just 10 minutes. In 30 minutes, the temperature can be 129° and after an hour, the temperature can reach 140°. These temperatures can be fatal to your pets.
Even when the temperatures are relatively mild on a 70° day, the temperature inside your vehicle can climb above 100° in around 20 minutes. So even on a day when you might be wearing a jacket, your pet could seriously suffer from the heat or even die.
Whether you believe it or not, cracking the windows has very little effect on the temperature inside your vehicle. Many studies have shown that leaving the windows cracked has an insignificant impact on the temperature inside your vehicle.
If you leave your pet in a hot car, you may even face legal consequences for animal cruelty. Indiana also has a “Good Samaritan Law” to protect those who rescue animals from a hot car. While there are many restrictions on how the law works, the legislation was passed to keep animals from suffering a long and tragic death.
Please, don’t leave your pet in a hot car. The simplest solution is to just leave them at home.
