Veterinarians always remind dog owners not to leave their canine companions in a parked car while running errands.
Considering that a dog overheats at 102 degrees Fahrenheit, keep in mind that a parked car can reach up to 109 degrees Fahrenheit in just 20 minutes.
However, countless reminders are not enough. Police officers still rescue dogs from overheated parked cars daily.
This happened recently in Florida when Sergeant Bordin with the Bradenton Police Department rescued a Pitbull with obvious signs of overheating.
Sergeant Bordin didn’t hesitate to break down the window of a parked SUV vehicle. The poor dog left inside was panting and taking in deeper breaths by the minute.
The kind police officer broke the glass with one swift move and proceeded to open the car door from inside.
The poor dog was panting so loud, while the police officer was asking his colleagues to bring over some water.
The sweet girl started drinking and wagging her tail, almost as if she was trying to say ‘thank you for rescuing me’.
However, not every parked car can be checked by a police officer. So many dogs go unnoticed in overheated cars, with many fatal outcomes.
To raise awareness and show just how dangerous it can get for our canine friends, a veterinarian decided to lock himself in a parked car for 30 minutes while recording everything on camera.
Dr. Ernie Ward ventured out on a typical summer day, cracked all four car windows about an inch, and started a timer to see how long he could endure the heat.
Once Dr. Ward entered the car it was approximately 94 degrees Fahrenheit, but after only 5 minutes inside it reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit! As he said in his video:
“I’ll tell you, it is almost unbearable.”
Usually, dog owners believe that if they crack down the windows a bit, their dog will be perfectly fine. Unfortunately, a cracked window is not enough as Dr. Ward said:
“I can actually see the trees, the wind blowing, and yet even with all four windows cracked between an inch and a half and two inches, there is absolutely no breeze in this car.”
After 25 minutes in the overheated car, Dr. Ward was drenched in sweat. As he also mentioned:
“I’m in control of the situation. What I can’t imagine is how helpless and how frightening it would be for a dog to be left in a car, not knowing when you’re gonna come and slowly, but surely, having the energy and the life just burnt out of them by this heat.”
Even if you think a couple of minutes won’t harm your dog, it could cause huge distress to them. Always take your dog along with you or leave them at home during hot days!
Make sure to watch Dr. Ward’s video demonstrating how it would feel for a dog left all alone in a car!