“I’ll just be a few minutes.”
“I have the windows cracked open.”
“It’s not that hot of day.”
“The air conditioning is on.”
These are just a few of the excuses dog owners use to leave their dogs unattended and in a potentially dangerous situation.
Your dog may love car rides and spending every second of the day with you, but there is no excuse to leave your dog in a car in warm temperatures.
It’s not that hot outside.
Even on a day where the temperatures reaches 20˚C, the actual temperature in your car can rise to 32˚C in ten minutes. So even if you left your windows cracked, the heat could become unbearable for you dog.
I left the windows open or I’ll just be a few minutes.
When most people say this, they’ve usually left the window open a few inches. Studies have shown that leaving windows partially open is simply not enough. This is how quickly the temperature in your car rises, and the numbers are sobering.
- On a 25˚C day, your car could hit 43˚C in twenty minutes, and 50˚C in one hour.
- On a 32˚C day, your car could hit 48˚C in twenty minutes, and 56˚C in one hour.
The air conditioning is on.
But what if it isn’t? What if your dog has accidentally turned it off or the car has shut off? You could be inside a mall, or in the grocery store doing your shopping. Meanwhile, your dog is suffering in a very hot car.
So what do you do if you see a dog in a hot car? (the information below is courtesy of the Province of Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development website)
Manitoba’s Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer recommends you first take these steps:
- Write down the location (street name, address, location in a parking lot), and a physical description (make and model, colour, licence plate, whether windows are open) of the vehicle.
- Write down a description of the animal (size, colour, species, approximate age, and the colour of its gums if visible), including its behaviour (alert, barking, panting, drooling, unconscious) and whether it has any water inside the vehicle.
If several people are available, share responsibilities to help resolve the situation as quickly as possible.
- Have one person remain by the vehicle to monitor the animal’s condition.
- Try to keep the environment around the vehicle and animal calm and quiet, providing shade and ventilation to the vehicle if possible.
- If the vehicle is parked in a public area, like a store parking lot, notify staff members or customer service personnel immediately with the written description of the vehicle and animal. They may be able to page and quickly locate the animal owner to resolve the situation.
- If the vehicle is parked in a residential area and you feel it is safe to do so, ask neighbours if the vehicle or animal is known to them.
- Do not attract a crowd of onlookers or stimulate activity in the animal. The additional stress of the situation could make the animal’s heat stress worse.
- Contact local animal welfare enforcement agencies to report the situation and have an animal protection officer attend.
What should you do if you find a dog in distress:
- in Winnipeg: call the Winnipeg Humane Society Emergency Lineat 204-982-2020
- anywhere in Manitoba (including Winnipeg): contact the Animal Care Lineat 204-945-8000 or 1-888-945-8001 (toll-free)
- a local police detachment
For more information, please visit https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-welfare/pet-left-in-vehicle.html
There is no safe amount of time to leave your dog in the car, so play it safe, and leave Fido at home.