Pet Tips / Hot Cars Kill Pets
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Summer is a time for both you and your
pet to enjoy the sunshine and outdoors, but along with the fun, the season also
offers up situations that can endanger your pet. By taking precautions, you can
decrease the chance that disaster will happen. The NBAC offers these tips for
pet owners to keep their furry friends safe this summer:
• In nice weather you may be tempted to take your pet
with you in the car while you travel or do errands. During warm weather, the
inside of your car can reach 120° in a matter of minutes, even if you're
parked in the shade. This can mean real trouble for your companion animals left
in the car. Dogs and cats can't perspire and can only dispel heat by panting
and through the pads of their feet. Pets who are left in hot cars even briefly
can suffer from heat exhaustion, heat stroke, brain damage, and can even die.
Don't think that just because you'll be gone "just a minute" that
your pet will be safe while you're gone; even an air-conditioned car with the
motor off isn't healthy for your pet. To avoid any chance that your pet will
succumb to the heat of a car this summer, be sure to play it safe by leaving
your pet cool and refreshed at home while you're on the road. And if you do
happen to see a pet in a car alone during the hot summer months, alert the
management of the store where the car is parked. If the owner does not return
promptly, call local animal control or the police department immediately.
• It is very dangerous, and in some states illegal, to
drive with a dog in the back of a pick-up truck. Not only can flying debris
cause serious injury, but also a dog may be unintentionally thrown into traffic
if the driver suddenly hits the brakes, swerves, or is hit by another car. Dogs
should ride either in the cab (in a crate or wearing a seat belt harness
designed for dogs) or in a secured crate in the bed of the truck. |
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