Stella in Tallahassee, Florida; Simba and Jasper in Minneapolis; Thor in Vicksburg, Mississippi _ these are all dogs who died unnecessarily over the past year after being left in a hot car.
Last year, at least 33 dogs suffered slow, agonizing and terrifying deaths in hot cars, and another 126 animals were saved by kind people just in the nick of time. More than 50 children also died this way. Consumer Reports estimates that this year, as COVID-19 precautions make errands take longer, those numbers may be even higher.
But they don't have to be. We can save countless lives just by leaving dogs at home, where they're cool and comfortable, and being on the lookout for victims trapped in hot vehicles while we're out and about.
It doesn't have to be hot outside for a car to be dangerous. The American Veterinary Medical Association warns that in just 10 minutes, the temperature inside a parked car can rise to as much as 20 degrees higher than the external temperature. After 20 minutes, it can go up to 30 degrees higher. In an hour, a vehicle can be more than 40 degrees hotter inside than it is outside. On a 70-degree day, that's 110 degrees.
Consumer Reports determined that leaving a car's windows cracked slightly open or parking in the shade had little effect on the internal temperature. And leaving the air conditioner on isn't fail-safe, either. Dogs have died after cars ran out of gas, A/C units malfunctioned or the animals inadvertently bumped a button, turning it off. One dog, named Bootsie, died after a thief stole his guardian's running car and then abandoned it with him still trapped inside.
Heatstroke, damage to the brain and other organs, and death can occur within minutes for animals and children, so it's crucial to ensure that they're never left in a parked car _ even "just for a minute."
To help prevent more needless deaths, many automakers are introducing safety features that alert drivers when a passenger remains in the backseat after the car has been turned off. The PETA-supported Hot Cars Act of 2019 would require this technology in all new vehicles. These warning systems are helpful but not foolproof. The only way to ensure that dogs don't become hot-car victims is never to leave them in one.
As you're running errands and walking through parking lots, keep an eye out. If you see a dog (or anyone else) trapped inside a hot car, quickly have the owner paged at the nearest stores.
Go back to the car and check for signs of heat distress. These include heavy panting, lethargy, a dark tongue, vomiting, glazed eyes and dizziness. If the dog appears to be suffering, call local humane authorities or 911, and stay on the scene until they arrive.
If authorities are unresponsive or slow to react and the dog seems to be in imminent danger, find a witness who will back up your assessment and do whatever it takes to get the animal out of the car (PETA offers a window-breaking hammer on its website that can help) and into the shade. Try to bring down the dog's body temperature with lukewarm (not cold) water, and then get him or her to a veterinarian right away.
Many states have laws protecting good Samaritans who save animals from hot cars, and courts have repeatedly sided with them. And people who have left their dogs to bake to death have frequently faced felony cruelty charges.
Never assume that a dog alone in a hot car is OK or that someone else will help. You may be that animal's only hope.
