Dog safety during the summer is something many pet owners don't give a second thought. Would we think the same about our children? How many times during the summer have you left your baby or toddler alone in a hot car while you run into the store? Most people would say “never” to that question. In the summer, we would never leave junior in a hot vehicle that will only get hotter as time passes. For most people, this is just common sense. But do we apply the same principle to our pet “children?” Many are guilty of thinking, “I’ll only be a minute” or “I cracked the windows, Fido will be fine.” That “minute” could turn out to be deadly for your beloved pet.
Dog Safety During the Summer
Here are some facts about dog safety during the summer from the American Veterinary Medical Foundation. The inside temperature of your vehicle can rise almost 20º F in just ten minutes. After twenty minutes, it can rise almost 30º F. The longer you wait, the higher the interior temperature of your vehicle rises. After sixty minutes, the temperature in your vehicle can be more than 40 degrees higher than the outside temperature. On a 70-degree day, that's 110 degrees inside your vehicle. Would you be comfortable sitting inside a vehicle that hot? The obvious answer is no. So why do you think your pet is comfortable and safe at those temperatures? Your vehicle can quickly reach a temperature that puts your pet at risk of serious illness and even death. Cracking the windows makes no difference. Quite often, our customers ask "What's the best way to approach someone when they left their dog in the car?" After all, what is a dog lover to do in when we encounter a dog left in a hot car? Our best advice is to assess the dog’s situation carefully. Is the dog in obvious distress? If so, call 911. During the summer, police departments field calls like this all the time. Give the dispatcher the address, the make and model of the car, and the license plate number. I don't normally like to be a “butt-in-ski”, but every year dogs and children die when left alone in hot cars. I’d rather the owner be ticked and the dog alive than the alternative. Another alternative is the help educate the pet owner about pet car safety. We developed a “cheat sheet” about dog safety and vehicle temperatures. We will take the heat for educating people about car safety if you prefer. Pun intended! Simply place this flyer on their windshield and help us help dogs everywhere. Just download and print this image on your printer. Alternatively, we sell them on our site and donate the money to various pet charities. One pointless and preventable dog death is too many. Please help us spread the word and educate everyone about dog vehicle safety during the summer months . If this article hasn’t convinced you about how dangerous a hot vehicle can be for a dog and how important dog safety during the summer is, then check out this video that shows how humans handle a hot vehicle.
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Dog safety during the summer is something many pet owners don't give a second thought. Would we think the same about our children? How many times during the summer have you left your baby or toddler alone in a hot car while you run into the store? Most people would say “never” to that question. In the summer, we would never leave junior in a hot vehicle that will only get hotter as time passes. For most people, this is just common sense. But do we apply the same principle to our pet “children?” Many are guilty of thinking, “I’ll only be a minute” or “I cracked the windows, Fido will be fine.” That “minute” could turn out to be deadly for your beloved pet. 
After twenty minutes, it can rise almost 30º F. The longer you wait, the higher the interior temperature of your vehicle rises. After sixty minutes, the temperature in your vehicle can be more than 40 degrees higher than the outside temperature. On a 70-degree day, that's 110 degrees inside your vehicle. Would you be comfortable sitting inside a vehicle that hot? The obvious answer is no. So why do you think your pet is comfortable and safe at those temperatures? Your vehicle can quickly reach a temperature that puts your pet at risk of serious illness and even death. Cracking the windows makes no difference. Quite often, our customers ask "What's the best way to approach someone when they left their dog in the car?" After all, what is a dog lover to do in when we encounter a dog left in a hot car? Our best advice is to assess the dog’s situation carefully. Is the dog in obvious distress? If so, call 911. During the summer, police departments field calls like this all the time. Give the dispatcher the address, the make and model of the car, and the license plate number. I don't normally like to be a “butt-in-ski”, but every year dogs and children die when left alone in hot cars. I’d rather the owner be ticked and the dog alive than the alternative. Another alternative is the help educate the pet owner about pet car safety. We developed a “cheat sheet” about dog safety and vehicle temperatures. We will take the heat for educating people about car safety if you prefer. Pun intended! Simply place this flyer on their windshield and help us help dogs everywhere. Just download and print this image on your printer. Alternatively, we sell them on our site and donate the money to various pet charities. One pointless and preventable dog death is too many. Please help us spread the word and educate everyone about dog vehicle safety during the summer months . If this article hasn’t convinced you about how dangerous a hot vehicle can be for a dog and how important dog safety during the summer is, then check out this video that shows how humans handle a hot vehicle.
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