As the weather heats up, more and more pet-guardians are spreading the word about the serious dangers of leaving a dog in a parked car. Every year, thousands of dogs die of heat stroke when their owners leave them in parked cars for "just a minute." The ASPCA warns that the temperature inside a car can skyrocket from 85 degrees to 102 degrees in just ten minutes… even with the windows cracked! But if you're like me and you're one of those pet-parents whose pooch wants to ride everywhere with you, there might be times when you're tempted to leave your dog in a parked car. This is only okay in a few situations:
When the weather is very fair.
If temperatures are between forty and seventy degrees, you can safely leave your dog unattended in a parked car for a brief period of time. The ASPCA notes that temperatures inside a car can rise up to 20 degrees after ten minutes. However, my vet said that a dog is not generally at risk for heat stroke if he's in this comfortable temperature range, with the windows cracked, for less than ten minutes at a time. Of course, you also have to make sure that you meet the other safety requirements, even if the weather is okay.
When it really will be just a minute, and there's no chance of a delay.
My dog Maggie used to ride with me daily while I dropped my daughter off at school when the weather was fair. Since my daughter had to be signed in by a certain time, I knew I would always be able to get back to my pooch quickly-she was never unattended for longer than the amount of time that it took to sign in my daughter (often less than a minute). I'll also leave my dog in the car (within my line of sight) while I run into the gas station to pay for gasoline. But if you're going somewhere where it's possible or likely that you'll be gone more than five minutes.
When your dog is in excellent health.
Dogs who are very young, very old, or chronically ill are at the highest risk of heat stroke. Even if everything else is fine, you need to take special precautions for dogs who are fragile. An elderly dog or young puppy shouldn't be left in an unattended car for even a few moments because of the possibility of adverse health effects.
When you can provide cool, clean water in your absence.
Dogs pant to cool off the way humans sweat to cool off… But if your dog doesn't have enough water in his body, he can quickly become too dehydrated to keep his body temperature regulated, leading to heat stroke and death. If your dog is coming anywhere with you, he needs to have access to water the whole time, even in good weather.
When your dog has a short, light coat.
Dogs with thick coats, like the Great Pyrenees and the Alaskan malamute, are at high risk for heat stroke because of this heat-holding fur. Black-furred dogs are also at a higher risk than average because dark coats absorb more heat. Consider having your dog's coat trimmed during the summer as a general safety precaution if he has a very thick coat; otherwise he can easily become overheated.
When you can protect your pet from thieves.
Dog theft isn't as common as heat stroke when dogs are left alone in parked cars, but it does happen occasionally, especially to rare and expensive breeds. Make sure you lock your doors and crack your windows only an inch or two. (Rolling them down further could not only invite a thief into your car, but also give your dog a route to escape!) Even then, there isn't a guarantee that thieves won't take your dog, which is more reason to make sure you hurry back and keep your pet in your line of sight.
When you aren't violating your state's laws.
Many states have laws that forbid endangering dogs by leaving them in parked cars. Although you probably aren't breaking the law as long as you're taking all the safety precautions listed here, it's still best to check with your state and local regulations (listed here) to make sure you aren't legally endangering yourself as well as jeopardizing your pup.
You can be a responsible pet owner and still occasionally allow your pet to ride shotgun while you run very short errands, but it's important to take every possible precaution to ensure your pooch's health and safety in your absence. By making sure to keep your pet cool and safe, you can bring Fido along for a ride without putting him in danger of death by heat stroke.
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