People who leave their pet in a car parked in the sun are risking their lives. — Photos: Freepik
Leaving a dog in a parked car, even for a few minutes, can be deadly as temperatures inside can soar to 60°C when it's parked in the sun.
But does it help if you leave the air-conditioning on, crack a window and have a white-coloured car?
When it's hot out, "it'll be quick" can be deadly: There's no amount of time that is safe to leave a pet inside a car, even if you crack the windows or are away for just a few minutes.
Animal welfare activists say five minutes in a hot car are enough for a dog to suffer heatstroke, the animal charity Four Paws warns.According to the charity PETA, dogs can sustain brain damage or even die from the heatstroke in just 15 minutes.
That's because on a hot day, temperatures inside a car can quickly hit up to 60°C, studies have found. People who leave their pet in a car parked in the sun are risking their lives – it doesn't matter the colour of the vehicle nor if the window's cracked.
An investigation by Germany's ADAC car club using identical cars with windows opened at differing heights showed that the vehicles could still be dangerous when temperatures outside were at 28°C or higher.
If the windows were closed, the thermometer climbed to 38°C within 10 minutes; after 20 minutes, it hit 45°C. In a car with two slightly rolled down windows, the temperatures hit 36°C and 42°C after the same amounts of time. Both cars were a simmering 50°C after one hour in the blazing sun.
No difference was found whether the car was painted white or black. That means the lighter colour of your car is no excuse to leave a dog alone in there.
The findings are echoed in other studies and scientists at Arizona State University (ASU) have shown that while smaller cars tend to heat up especially quickly, all cars hit a temperature of around 47°C after 60 minutes in the sun.
Anyone who comes across a dog left alone in a hot car should always immediately contact the police or fire brigade.
Passers-by should break open a window if the dog's health is clearly worsening. The Four Paws charity says there is only a small risk of facing charges for damages in such cases.
Take your dog with you, even if it's just a short errand.
Less risky
Leaving your dog inside an electric vehicle is less risky as almost all models are fitted with an air-conditioning that can be kept running while the vehicle is parked, Germany's ADAC organisation says.
Electric car makers Tesla, Smart and Nio have even introduced a feature called dog mode.
It doesn't just keep the interior nice and chilled but also displays an alert on the central touchscreen to let passers-by know that your pet is enjoying the air-conditioning – so they don't call the police or break through your windows to rescue your dog.
ADAC testers found Tesla's Model Y kept the temperature stable when exposed to sunlight, but that not all parts of the car were cooled equally.
Leaving your dog inside a car with an internal combustion engine is trickier, as you need to leave the motor running to operate the AC's compressor.
While there are systems available that are run without the engine that can be fitted retrospectively, those tend to be more suitable for camper vans.
Plug-in hybrids, on the other hand, are often fitted with electric ACs that can be run while parking, just like in EVs.
But experts say you should still avoid ever leaving your dog alone inside your car, even if the AC is running. The safest option is always to take your pet with you. Even Tesla recommends to only use dog mode for short periods of time and while you are nearby.
Managing overheating
Heavy panting or restlessness are the first signs of overheating in animals.
Then, you must act quickly. "Take the animal out of the heat; place wet towels on the limbs to cool it down," says animal welfare activist Nadia Wattad. If you suspect heat stroke, contact a vet immediately.
Life-threatening circulatory problems can be manifested by severely reddened or very pale mucous membranes, shallow breathing, slowed reactions and apathetic behaviour.
Other urgent warning signs are loss of balance, vomiting and unconsciousness.
It might seem like a good idea, but do not shear your dog to cool them down on hot days. Instead, take it for a walk in the cooler morning and evening hours.
Also make sure your pet avoids exertion and drinks enough cool water.
Depending on the breed, dogs react differently to high temperatures.
Pugs or French bulldogs, for instance, are particularly sensitive to heat. A dog pool or a visit to a lake or stream can help them cool down. – dpa
