Dogs in Hot Cars and on Hot Pavement

Every year, dogs suffer and die when their guardians make the mistake of leaving them in a parked car—even for “just a minute”—while they run an errand. Parked cars are death traps for dogs: On a 70-degree day, the temperature inside one can soar to 99 degrees in 20 minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 109 degrees in just 10 minutes.

Animals can sustain brain damage or even die from heatstroke in just 15 minutes. Beating the heat is extra tough for dogs because they can only cool themselves by panting.

If you see a dog left alone in a hot car, take down the car’s color, model, make, and license plate number. Have the owner paged in the nearest buildings, or call local humane authorities or police. Have someone keep an eye on the dog. Don’t leave the scene until the situation has been resolved.

If the authorities are unresponsive or too slow and the dog’s life appears to be in imminent danger, find a witness (or several) who will back up your assessment, take steps to remove the suffering animal from the car, and then wait for authorities to arrive.

Watch for heatstroke symptoms such as restlessness, excessive thirst, thick saliva, heavy panting, lethargy, lack of appetite, dark tongue, rapid heartbeat, fever, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and lack of coordination. If a dog shows any of these symptoms, get him or her out of the heat, preferably into an air-conditioned vehicle, and then to a veterinarian immediately. If you are unable to transport the dog yourself, take him or her into an air-conditioned building if possible and call animal control: Tell them it is an emergency.

Provide water to drink, and if possible spray the dog with a garden hose or immerse him or her in a tub of cool (but not iced) water for up to two minutes in order to lower the body temperature gradually. You can also place the dog in front of an electric fan. Applying cool, wet towels to the groin area, stomach, chest, and paws can also help. Be careful not to use ice or cold water, and don’t overcool the animal.

When walking your dog, keep in mind that if it feels hot enough to fry a pepper outside, it probably is. When the air temperature is 86 degrees, the asphalt can reach a sizzling 135 degrees — more than hot enough to cook an vegan egg in five minutes. And it can do the same to our canine companions’ sensitive foot pads.

On an 87-degree day, asphalt temperatures can reach 140 degrees, hot enough to cause burns, permanent damage and scarring after just one minute of contact. Rapid burns and blistering can occur at 150 degrees. Hot sidewalks, pavement and parking lots can not only burn paws, they also reflect heat onto dogs’ bodies , increasing their risk of deadly heatstroke.

If you wouldn’t put your dog in a frying pan, please don’t make him or her walk on hot pavement. Always test the pavement with your hand before setting out (too hot to touch is too hot for Spot), walk early in the morning or late at night when it’s cooler, carry water and take frequent breaks in shady spots and never make dogs wear muzzles that restrict their breathing.

PETA offers leaflets that can be placed on vehicles to remind people never to leave unattended animals inside. For information on ordering PETA’s “Don’t Let Your Dog Get Hot Under the Collar” leaflet, please click here.

Simon Cowell stars in PETA’s public service announcement (PSA) informing viewers of the dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars. You can help spread the message by contacting us at [email protected] or 757-622-7382 for information on how to get the PSA aired on your local television stations.