This is always an issue that comes up every spring/summer.  People have a tendency to leave their dogs in their car while they are shopping or otherwise going somewhere during the summer months.  I literally have found dogs in cars while the owners are at a day-long festival.  We are talking about 80+ degrees for multiple hours, windows completely up.  I am just glad I heard the dog and the police were able to get there in time.  So not only are the owners horrible people for leaving their dog in this condition, every person who walked past this car and heard the exasperated barks from the dog and ignored him are just as guilty in my book.

So my lesson today is twofold.  One, NEVER leave your dog in the car when it’s warm out.  Leave him at home with the air conditioning while you run your errands.  It only takes a few minutes in a car for a dog to overheat in the summer and potentially die.  If you wouldn’t leave your child in the car for ten minutes, then don’t leave your dog either.  And if you think I’m exaggerating here, I challenge you to put on the thickest jacket you own and go sit in your car with the windows up for ten minutes.  This is only a glimpse at what your dog is experiencing (since he cannot sweat like you can).

Two, be aware of your surroundings.  When walking from your car to the store, listen for barking, glance at the cars you are passing.  Make sure there are no dogs trapped in the cars.  If you see one, write down the license plate number and car make/model.  Give this information to the manager of the store and tell them a dog is locked in the car.  They will gladly make the announcement to get the owner to go care for their animal.  If you are somewhere where there isn’t a manager to contact or intercom to use, do not be afraid to call the police.  I have done this myself several times and they are always quick to respond to rescue the animal.

** image from petautosafetyblog.com