As summer heats up, it’s tempting to bring your pet with you on car rides around town. Sadly, many people believe that cracking a window is enough to keep their dogs cool in the car while they make a quick pit stop—but they couldn’t be more wrong. When it’s 80 degrees outside, your car will be a staggering 114 degrees in less than 30 minutes.

Worse still, dogs can’t cool themselves down as easily as people, and once they overheat, they can suffer extensive organ damage or die. That’s why leaving an animal alone in a car is more than just a bad idea, it’s a form of animal cruelty. And since the ASPCA can’t be everywhere at all times, we need YOU to be our eyes and ears on the ground. That’s why we’ve created a hot weather safety infographic that you can share with friends and family on your social media networks, alerting others to the dangers of leaving pets in hot cars. 

Here are other ways to help:

• Immediately call animal control or 911 if you see an animal trapped in a hot car. Local law officials have the ability to enter the vehicle and rescue the pet.
• Do not leave until help has arrived.
• Notify the managers of nearby businesses so they can make an urgent announcement.
• Sign our Hot Car Pledge and distribute our "Overheating Kills" flyer to help save lives this summer and all year long.

We are working hard to spread awareness about the dangers of hot cars, but all too often, the difference between life and death comes down to the actions of individuals like you. Thank you for advocating for animals in your area!