New Canaan Summer is Almost Here—Be Careful with Pets in the Car

It doesn't take much to exhaust a pet in a vehicle during the hot summer months, warns New Canaan Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt. 

Kleinschmitt offered the following advice, from Dr. Bob & Susan Goldstein of Earth Animal, which she's posted on flyers that will be distributed around town to spread the information.

To avoid a bacterial infection known as Leptosporosis, don't let pets drink from puddles, lakes or other bodies of stagnant water. It can affect the livers and kidneys of animals, and is spread through rat and raccoon urine.

Additionally, don't leave pets in vehicles for even brief periods of time, Kleinschmitt said. Though outside temperatures might be cool, interior vehicle temperatures can rise rapidly exponentially.

The following chart provides timelines and temperature comparisons for what happens inside a vehicle based on conditions outside.