Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/spca-rescue-dog-hot-car/
Thanks to years of messaging from activists and animal lovers, it’s pretty well known by now that keeping your dog in a hot car, even for just a quick trip into the store, can be more dangerous than you realize.
Temperatures inside locked cars can quickly skyrocket when left in direct heat, and dogs simply are not able to cope with it.
If that’s not enough motivation to do right by your pet, a video of an SPCA officer rescuing a dog from a locked car might be.
Originally filmed in 2017 in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, the footage shows two SPCA officers responding to a call about a French Bulldog left in an SUV on a hot day.
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As they check in on the car, the officer’s thermometer registers at 45 degrees Celsius — 113 degrees Fahrenheit — and he remarks that inside the car, it’s even hotter (50 degrees Celsius, 122 degrees Fahrenheit).
The dog in the video, a Frenchie, seems distressed by the heat, hiding in the coolest and darkest corner he can find. Following protocol, the SPCA officer breaks the passenger window and leans in to check, unlocking the door in the process.
Temperatures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.5 degrees Celsius) can be life-threatening to all breeds, even short-haired dogs and those acclimated to desert life.
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According to Daily Paws, this risk is even higher for brachycephalic dog breeds such as boxers, bulldogs, and Shih Tzus.
“There is no excuse for leaving a pet unattended in a vehicle and this summer we need your help to share this important message,” the Ontario SPCA writes on their site.
To combat the endemic problem, the SPCA launched #NoHotPets to raise awareness and encourage bystanders to report animals in distress.
Even though temperatures are finally falling in much of the US as autumn approaches, the reminder from this video is a timely one — temperatures affect our animal friends differently; both heat and cold can have a more profound effect on your pet than you realize.
Learn more, including steps you can take to protect your pet and any you may encounter in distress via The Weather Network.
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
