Although summer seems to be wrapping up, it’s still hot outside and even hotter in your car. 

Toronto Humane Society has been advocating pet safety in hot weather all summer, but sadly dogs were still left unattended in cars and did not make it. 

These accidents happen too often with consequences too tragic to be ignored. Many pet parents think this could never happen to them, so they bring their pets along on errands and leave them in the car “for just a minute.” We must remember that these seemingly harmless decisions can put our beloved companions in danger. 

Your Car is Lethal in the Heat

A car is essentially an oven when it is hot outside. Interior temperatures can heat up by an average of 40 degrees F (4 degrees C) within an hour, regardless of ambient temperature. Eighty percent of the temperature rise occurred within the first half-hour. A shaded parking spot, bowl of water, or even an open window are insufficient measures to counteract the deadly effects of these temperatures.  

This is Not a YouTube Challenge

KarsforKidz created a 10-minute hot car challenge on YouTube to help raise awareness of the dangers of leaving kids in hot cars. Everyone they approached to do the challenge failed – they could not last more than 10 minutes locked inside of a hot car.  

While these adults could tap out at any minute, our companion animals cannot.  

Pets have special challenges when dealing with the heat. Dogs and cats cool off primarily by panting—not by sweating—and their systems can become overwhelmed quickly. The rising temperature increases their heart and respiratory rates and can cause seizures. Every moment that passes and every increase in temperature dramatically decreases an animal’s chances of survival.  

Help Us Raise Awareness 

With the release of summer T-Shirt, our message is simple: your car becomes an oven in hot weather – do not leave your pets in parked cars to die of heat exhaustion. Purchase our advocacy shirt and help raise awareness about keeping animals out of hot cars. By wearing this reminder, you could save a life.