Mabel the Rescue Dog

3 min read (Articles narrated by Mabel)

I’m sure everyone has heard about the horrors of leaving your dog in a hot car, but sadly, not everyone takes it seriously. Many dog lovers think everything will be okay if they are only gone for a few minutes or if they leave the window open a crack. However, dogs can easily die from this. The hotter the weather, the more dangerous it becomes.

Why are Hot Cars so Dangerous?

Even if a dog is only in a car for a short amount of time, they can still be at risk. On a 70-degree day (Fahrenheit), temperatures can rise to 100 degrees after only 20 minutes. For hotter temperatures, it could even reach 140 degrees!

Even if the window is open a crack, it doesn’t make much of a difference for your dog. It only allows them to stick their nose out to breath a little fresh air while they’re trapped in an oven. You wouldn’t leave your human child in a hot car, so why would you put your dog at risk like that?

Dogs with flat faces are even more at risk than other dogs. We have a difficult time breathing, so it’s important that we are never out in the heat more than we have to be. Plus, any dog can easily suffer from heat stroke in a hot car.

What are the Laws for Leaving Your Dog in a Car?

Unfortunately, leaving your dog in a hot car isn’t illegal everywhere, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay. Currently, 31 states have laws against leaving your dog in a hot car. However, only 15 states allow any person to rescue a dog in a hot car. Luckily, my home state of Wisconsin is one that has strict laws against this.

Every law is slightly different. Some places might allow humans to break the window if the dog is in danger while others might require them to call the police first. I know for a fact that no true dog lover would ignore the situation.

If you ever see a dog in a hot car, you need to think fast and do the right thing. Hopefully, more laws will be placed in the future to protect dogs in these situations.

What to do if You’re in a Hurry

If you’re going somewhere with your dog, it’s important that you plan ahead. If you suspect that you’ll have to hurry into a store at any point, you should leave your dog at home.

There are always new inventions being made to help with this situation though. Some new cars have a “dog mode” where the car keeps running with the doors locked in order to keep your dog safe. Some stores are even installing air-conditioned spaces that you can rent out for your dog while you run into the store.

However, if you don’t have one of these advanced options for your dog, then you should not leave them alone in the car. Even if it seems like they’ll be fine, it’s always better not to risk it. It might not feel sweltering outside, but a car can heat up in no time. Always put your dog’s safety first in every decision you make.

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