By Ara Radler
The other day, I was talking to a friend who has 4 gorgeous Shelties. He has a “doggie van” and takes them with him on errands and the like. But this day, there were no Shelties in the van. When I asked him why the dogs were not along, he replied that it was much too hot to leave them in the van for any length of time.
Then, he told me a story. He said he was headed into a thrift shop last summer and walked by a shiny, new, red truck with all the bells and whistles, but on closer look, there were two dogs inside. The windows were cracked but it was very hot outside. He entered the store and went straight to the service desk and told the clerk about what he had seen and asked if an announcement could be made over the PA system. No sooner was the announcement made, when a lady came stomping toward the door, yelling that she was only going to be a few minutes in the store but she was leaving now! Well…mission accomplished for my friend!
The temperature in a car can rise almost 20 degrees in 10 minutes. Even on a day when it is 70 degrees outside, a car’s temperature could rise to 100 degrees. Cracking the window will give a dog more air but will not change the temperature of the car. (avma.org) And it’s not just high temperatures that have to be considered because high humidity can increase the chance of heat exhaustion in a dog. (hillspet.com)
Dogs have a more difficult time adjusting to heat than humans. They cannot release their excess body heat by sweating like humans can. They have to pant but that is not always enough to keep them from overheating. Being left in a car may also give a dog anxiety which also adds stress. (bluebuffalo.com) And just think, dogs are wearing a fur coat!
I know no self-respecting basset owner that I know would leave their dog in a hot car or any potentially hot environment. Let’s follow my Sheltie friend’s lead. The old saying holds true; “I can’t do everything but I can do something.”
