Community Corner

Too Doggone Hot in the Napa Valley to Leave Fido in the Car

With triple-digit temperatures forecast for this weekend, help yourself and your dog avoid heatstroke.

We're expecting 100-degree temperatures this weekend, so everyone's going to be looking for ways to keep cool, whether at home, the park, the beach, or the mall.

If you're planning to take the family dog along on a road trip, or even a trip to the store, don't forget to make it safe and fun for your furry companion as well.

RedRover, a national nonprofit animal protection organization, is actively spreading the message that dogs should not be left in cars on warm days.

"Leaving a dog in the car while running errands, dining or visiting a tourist attraction can literally be a death sentence," said RedRover President and CEO Nicole Forsyth. "As the heat inside a car quickly rises, dogs suffer irreversible organ damage and eventually death. The safe choice is to leave your dog in a cool house."

It is against California law to leave a dog in a locked vehicle so , besides the possibility of killing the dog, but it could lead to a hefty fine for you.

"People do take their dogs places with them, to the store, when they go out to eat, and stores are making accommodations for dogs. But it's when people are leaving the pet in the car that it's the problem," said John Reese of the Marin Humane Society. "Even during a short 5-10 minute errand, the car temperature increases dramatically, even with the windows cracked."

"You wouldn't leave your infant child in the car while you run errands, so don't leave your dog in the car," Reese said.

Forsyth offered five reasons why leaving a dog in a hot car can be deadly:

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  • Dogs are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness because they can only  cool off by panting and through the pads in their feet.
  • Even seemingly mild days are dangerous. In a Stanford University study, when it was 72 degrees outside, a car's internal temperature climbed to 116 degrees within one hour, with most of the rise happening in the first 15 to 30 minutes.
  • Enclosed cars heat up quickly. In a study by San Francisco State University, when it was 80 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car rose to 99 degrees in 10 minutes and 109 degrees in 20 minutes.
  • A dog's normal body temperature is between 101 to 102.5 degrees; a dog can withstand a high body temperature for only a short time before suffering irreversible nerve damage, heart problems, liver damage, brain damage or even death.
  • Studies show that cracking the windows has little effect on a vehicle's internal temperature.

"People are under the misconception that dogs are tougher than humans are, that they can handle the heat," Forsyth said. "But the reality is, they are more susceptible to high temperatures and depend on us to keep them safe. Don't gamble with your dog's life."

If you see a pet locked in a car, you should call authorities right away.

Find out what's happening in Napa Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Here are some guidelines for keeping your pet safe during the hot weather and also these guidelines for keeping you, your family and your neighbors safe and to help you recognize the signs of heat related illness.



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