After Children Are Left in Hot Cars, PETA Offers Okeechobee County Tips to Safeguard Animals and Children During Hot Weather

Group Warns Against Leaving Anyone in a Vehicle

For Immediate Release:
September 19, 2016

Contact:
Lauren Rutkowski 202-483-7382

Following a news report about two children who were left in hot cars in separate incidents last week, PETA is issuing a warning about safety during hot weather: No one, including kids, cats, dogs, or any other animals, should ever be left alone in a vehicle, especially on days as warm as last week, with temperatures in the high 80s. Animals and children are the most vulnerable in these situations, and one mistake can cost lives. Just this summer, at least 30 children, 45 dogs, and five kittens have reportedly died after being left in hot vehicles.

On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes—and on a 90-degree day, interior temperatures can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes.

PETA makes the following suggestions for safeguarding animals:

• Keep dogs indoors: Unlike humans, dogs can only sweat through their footpads and cool themselves by panting. Soaring temperatures can cause heat stress, injury, or death.
• Provide water and shade: When outside, animals must have access to fresh water and ample shade, and the shifting sun needs to be taken into account. Even brief periods of direct exposure to the sun can have life-threatening consequences.
• Walk—don’t run: In very hot, humid weather, never exercise dogs by biking and making them run alongside you or by running them while you jog. Dogs will collapse before giving up, at which point, it may be too late to save them.
• Avoid hot cars: Never leave an animal in a parked car in warm weather, even for short periods with the windows partially rolled down. Dogs trapped inside hot cars can succumb to heatstroke within minutes—even if a car isn’t parked in direct sunlight.
• Never transport animals in the bed of a pickup truck: This practice is dangerous—and illegal in many cities and states—because animals can be catapulted out of a truck bed on a sudden stop or strangled if they jump out while they’re tethered.
• Stay alert and save a life: Keep an eye on all animals you see outdoors. Make sure that they have adequate water and shelter. If you see animals in distress, provide them with water for immediate relief and contact humane authorities right away.
• Avoid hot pavement: When outdoor temperatures reach the 80s, asphalt temperatures can reach 140 degrees, causing pain, burns, and even permanent damage to dogs’ paws after just a few minutes of contact. Walk on grass when possible, and avoid walking in the middle of the day.
• Use a cooling vest or mat: Dog cooling equipment, such as wearable vests or bed mats, come in a range of materials and prices and help prevent overheating. Simply freeze or soak the items in cold water to keep dogs comfortable while on a walk or lounging. Placing cold water bottles in a dog’s bed also works.

If you see dogs showing any symptoms of heatstroke—including restlessness, heavy panting, vomiting, lethargy, lack of appetite or loss of coordination—get them into the shade immediately. You can lower symptomatic dogs’ body temperature by providing them with water, applying a cold towel to their head and chest, or immersing them in tepid (not ice-cold) water. Then immediately call a veterinarian.

PETA’s warm-weather public service announcements featuring Laura Bell Bundy are available to link to or download here (for print) and here (for online).

For even more tips, visit PETA.org.