The Danger of Dogs in Hot Cars

The dog days of summer are not over yet, and the temperature/humidity combination can create some fiercely hot days. If you are out and about and encounter a dog – or any pet – locked alone inside a hot car, please remember these steps that can prevent a tragic outcome:

  1. Make a reasonable effort to find the owner. Write down the license plate, and if the car is parked outside a store, go inside and have the owner of that vehicle paged to report to their vehicle, then return to the car.
  2. Call the police, fire department, or animal control officer in that town.
  3. Check for unlocked doors or open windows.
  4. If the animal is in distress (excessive panting, struggling to breathe), you may enter the vehicle following steps 1-3.
  5. Stay with the animal until law enforcement arrives.

The interior temperature of a car is extremely hotter than outside, and pets left alone inside them are at high risk of overheating, or even death. Here are temperature comparisons after 30 minutes:

For additional information about the confinement of a pet in a hot or cold vehicle, visit the official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

 

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