What To Do If You See a Dog in a Hot Car

While the summer may be starting to wind down, the warm days of the season are far from over.

And in that light, the Animal Rescue League of Boston on Thursday issued a reminder to pet owners across the state on why leaving a pet in a parked car can lead to dangerous results.

“We live for the summers in New England,” said Mary Nee, president of the Animal Rescue League of Boston in a statement. “We want to be outside and do more things, and we want our dogs to be part of the fun. we need to keep in mind what’s fun for us, might actually cause discomfort and injury to our much-loved pet. Leaving your dog at home as you head out for summer activities and events is the best thing for you and your pet. Prevention is responsible pet ownership.”

As part of its “ Too Hot for Spot” campaign, the ARL has offered a list of reasons why leaving dogs or other pets in hot cars -- even with the windows cracked -- can lead to disastrous results:

• Leaving your pet in a hot car for even a short period of time can have dangerous consequences.
• Even with all the windows cracked, the temperature of your car’s interior can quickly rise to deadly levels.
• Pets don’t sweat the way we do; they cannot cool their bodies efficiently in hot temperatures.

“On an 85-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can top 100 degrees in less than 10 minutes, event with all the windows cracked,” said Dr. Rashel Shophet-Ratner, a veterinarian with Boston Veterinary Care. “That’s why leaving a pet inside a parked car is the most common cause of potentially deadly heat stroke.”

In addition, the ARL has also released a few reminders of what to do if you should see a pet in a hot car:

• Take down the car’s make, model and license plate number.
• Ask nearby store managers or security guards to make an announcement to find the dog’s owner.
• If the owner can’t be found, call the non-emergency number of the local police department or Animal Control Officer.

For more information and other advice, such as how to treat heatstroke and keeping pets calm during thunderstorm or safe during a house fire, visit arlboston.org/summer-safety.

Photo: The ARL has focused its summer campaign, “Too Hot for Spot” on raising awareness about the dangers of leaving a pet in a parked car. (Credit: Animal Rescue League of Boston)