Safety alert: Don't leave pets in parked cars during warm weather

Keep your pets cool and safe during the summer season.

It's that time of year when pet owners are planning to travel with their pets. There's nothing more rewarding and comforting than taking your beloved companion along with you when you are on the road. However, rising temperatures also mean increased dangers for animals left in unattended vehicles.

As a pet owner, you may believe that leaving car windows down is sufficient ventilation for your pet's safety. It's not. Even on a balmy day, an animal can suffocate from the heat inside a parked vehicle. It can take only minutes for an animal to succomb to heatstroke and suffocation.

Rolling down a window or parking in the shade won't guarantee protection, either. On-a 78 degree day, temperatures in a car parked in the shade can exceed 90 degrees -- and hit 160 degrees if parked in the sun. Even when the outside air temperature is in the 60s, temperatures inside some vehicles can reach the danger zone on bright, sunny days. So many experts recommend not to leave pets or children in parked cars even for short periods if the temperature is in the 60s or higher.

Pet owners shouldn't count on a vehicle's air conditioning, either. By leaving it running on a hot day, the compressor can shut down, leaving your animal in a virtual coffin of heat.

According to the Partnership for Animal Welfare (PAW), in August 2004, a North Carolina couple lost two of their beloved dogs, and nearly lost their third dogs, as result of a similar failure. They had left bowls of water and ice in the car, and the air-conditioning on, during their shopping trip of less than 30 minutes.

So what's an owner to do? Here are some precautions recommended by PAW:
* Leave your dog at home on warm days.
* On trips with your pet, bring plenty of fresh drinking water and bowl.
* Don't let dogs ride loose in pick-up truck beds. The hot metal can burn a dog's paws, the sun and flying debris can hurt the dog, the dog can accidentally be thrown out of the truck if the brakes are suddenly applied, and the dog can jump out if scared or upon seeing something interesting to chase. Instead, use a crate to create a safer space for the dog if you can't fit the dog inside the truck cab.
* Take the dog into the shade, an air conditioned area, or to the vet if you see signs of heat exhaustion, which include restlessness, excessive thirst, heavy panting, lethargy, dark tongue, rapid pulse, fever, vomiting, glazed eyes, dizziness, or lack of coordination. To lower body temperature gradually, give the animal water to drink, place a cold towel or ice pack on the head, neck and chest, and/or immerse the dog in cool (not cold) water. Call your veterinarian.
* Get free brochures (see below) to use to educate pet owners.
If you see a pet in a vehicle on a hot day, take immediate action:
* Note the car make, model, color and tag number, then go to the nearest stores and ask the managers to page the owner.
* Call the police, which usually can respond much faster than can animal control departments. The police have the capability to enter the vehicle and rescue the pet.