Would you want to sit in a hot car even for a minute??

It's hot in Jersey! This week in Wayne we experienced five 90-degree days in a row.  I nearly sweat an entire river just waiting for the air conditioner in my car to kick in.

A commotion in a parking lot during my quick errand to the pharmacy has led me to write this post.  A woman had run into the adjoining liquor store and left her dog in the car. Another woman (a passerby) was screaming at her for doing so.

My 12 year old daughter asked me, as we walked into the store, if I would have said somethng to her if we would have noticed the dog in the hot car.  I was curious to what going on in that tween head of hers, so I asked, "What would you have done?"

Hot cars are deathtraps for dogs.  In an article* I read from PETA, I learned that  On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes.

Dogs over heat more quickly than humans and can die from heat stroke in as little as 20 minutes in a hot car. Sadly, this isn't a rare occurance.  Hundreds of dogs die in hot cars each year. 

My daughters response to my question... "I would call the police." and then added, "If I was hot I would tell you, mom.  A dog can't tell you."

If you ever wondered whether you should do something when you see a pet in a car, you should.  Follow the lead of a 12 year old - Be the voice of animals.

Please leave your pets home in HOT weather!

* Peta Article
Star Dog:  Caring about dogs everywhere.