Don’t Leave Pets in Cars: OverHeating Kills!

Please—don’t leave your dog in the car! A parked vehicle can become an oven that will literally bake your dog …

Never leave your dog or other pet in a parked car, not even to run in for a “quick” errand. The inside temperature of your car is about 20 degrees hotter than the outside temperature. This means that on an 85 degree Fahrenheit day the interior of your vehicle is 102 degrees F. Even if you leave the windows cracked open or park in a shady spot the interior temperature will continue to rise. This is because the vehicle’s ambient heat is retained by its windows and upholstery— the dog’s own body heat will also add to this rise in temperature.

A few minutes in a hot car will kill your dog!

Unlike humans, dogs have no way of expelling heat from their body except through their paws and their tongue. In addition, their internal temperature is between 101 degrees and 102 degrees, much higher than a humans. If heat is not expelled rapidly enough his internal temperature will keep rising. It only takes a rise of 3 degrees to put your dog into the danger zone.

When a dog’s internal temperature reaches 108 degrees F. all the internal organs begin to rapidly break down. Even immediate treatment and rapid cooling (to bring the temperature down) can leave a dog with permanent organ and brain damage.

Did you know that a parked car’s temperature can rise 34 degrees a minute? A parked vehicle becomes an oven that will literally bake your dog from the inside out. Even a quick errand into the store on a 95 degree day can result in the death of your pet. Think about it, if the outside temperature is 90 degrees F. your car’s interior will hit 110 degrees within just a few moments and it will keep rising! If it is 100 degrees outside (as it often is here in Texas) your dog will be roasting in a 120 degree car!

If you see a dog locked inside a car on a hot day do not hesitate to call for help, if the outside temperature is 80 degrees or hotter than please break open the window and release the animal immediately!

Overheating kills. Don't let a dog suffer in a hot car.

If you witness an animal locked in a car during hot weather and you live in Austin call 311. If you are using a cell phone and you are reporting an incident in Austin you can call 515-972-4738. Otherwise call your local Sheriff’s office or other local authorities and for the sake of the animal take immediate action to rescue it.