Advice from The Pet Sitter: Don't Leave Your Dog in a Hot Car

Advice from The Pet Sitter: Don’t Leave Your Dog in a Hot Car

Do You Love Your Dog Enough to Leave Him Home This Summer?

There have been many tragedies this summer involving dogs and hot cars. All across the United States, dogs have perished from heatstroke after being left in parked vehicles. The exposure to scorching temperatures was simply too much for them to handle. The saddest part? These deaths could—and should—have been avoided.

Why can’t a dog handle the heat in a parked car?

First, a dog’s ability to cool off in extreme temperatures is not as effective as a human’s. Dogs cool down by panting and releasing heat through their paws, but this method cannot be compared to how humans regulate temperature. While humans have the advantage of sweating, we can also fan ourselves, remove layers of clothing, or turn on the AC—actions a dog simply cannot take.

Additionally, a parked car (even with the windows cracked) can reach deadly temperatures within minutes. As reported by The Weather Channel, a car essentially becomes an “oven.” When the outside temperature is 90°F, the interior can soar to 109°F within ten minutes, 119°F within 20 minutes, and 124°F within 30 minutes.

How would you feel if you were locked in a car that hot? Dr. Ernie Ward decided to find out by locking himself in a car for 30 minutes to experience the heat firsthand. Keep in mind that he wasn’t panting, barking, or struggling to escape—all of which would have raised his body temperature even further.

Do your dog and yourself a favor: leave them at home while you run errands.
Please share this urgent warning with your friends. We often take it for granted that people have the common sense to know this, but tragedies continue to happen. There have even been cases of professional dog trainers accidentally leaving dogs in vehicles for hours with fatal results.

Spread awareness. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR DOG IN A HOT CAR!

Love and Kisses Pet Sitting is a Daily Dog Walking and Vacation Pet Sitting business. We provide care for domestic, exotic and farm animals in the following areas of Charlotte: The Arboretum, Ballantyne, Brandon Oaks neighborhood, Concord, Harrisburg, Hemby Bridge, Highland Creek neighborhood, Northeast/Southeast Charlotte, NC, Indian Land, Kannapolis, Lake Park, Marvin, Matthews, Mint Hill, Monroe, Providence Estates East neighborhood, Providence Plantation neighborhood, Provincetowne neighborhood, Skybrook neighborhood, Stallings, Waxhaw, Weddington, and Wesley Chapel. Our service area covers parts of Cabarrus, Mecklenburg and Union counties!