Dogs in Hot Cars
Summer is here! But let’s get real; it is summer all year ‘round in sunny South Florida. The scary reality is that during the summer the days are hot and inside our cars it is even hotter. It is very important that you never leave your fur-baby in your car, not even for 5 minutes. Even if it’s just for a moment, and even if the windows are cracked- it is never safe to leave an animal in a parked vehicle alone. Don’t let an excuse cost your pet their life. Not only can leaving your pet in a hot car can lead to fatal heat stroke, it is illegal in several states.
As of May 2018, 28 states have laws concerning companion animals left unattended in parked vehicles under dangerous conditions, such as intense weather conditions. In the state of Florida if a person witnesses a domestic animal inside a vehicle that person can enter the vehicle by any means necessary to safely remove the pet and they will be immune from civil liability for damages to that vehicle. That is a huge win for animal rights laws in Florida!
North Carolina veterinarian, Dr. Ernie Ward, is on a mission to bring more awareness to this problem. Armed with a clock, a thermometer, and a video camera, Dr. Ward sat in his car for thirty minutes on a 95-degree day to feel what it would be like for a dog trapped in a hot car. Watch Dr. Ward’s Video. If his video convinces even one person to leave their dog at home while running errands, everything he endured during this video would be 100% worth it!
Contact us at Lakeside Animal Hospital for more information on pet health and safety.
