Leaving your dog alone in the car can be deadly, experts warn

As temperatures hit 20 degrees, pet owners across Ireland have been warned against leaving their dogs alone in their cars.

In 21-degree weather, the inside temperature of a car can rise to a muggy 45 degrees in just under an hour.

Experts have warned that even a brief spree of shopping can pose a huge risk to your furry friend’s health and well-being, and in bad cases, even death.

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For humans, high ambient temperatures can be dangerous for the body. In the range of 32 degrees and 40 degrees, heat cramps and exhaustion can occur. Between 40 degrees and 54 degrees, heat exhaustion is more likely.

Dogs must accommodate layers of warm fur and learn to pant to try to stay cool and are therefore at great risk in any kind of elevated temperature.

A LeaseCar.uk spokesman said: “Animal welfare messages have been extremely effective in recent years in educating people not to leave their dogs in cars on hot days due to the risk of overheating.

“But the simple truth is that even on a seemingly mild or warm day, when temperatures are in the 20s, a car’s internal temperature can quickly rise to dangerous and deadly levels.

“We therefore appeal to drivers to NEVER leave a dog unattended, come rain or shine.

“Don’t make that ‘rush to the grocery store’ a fatal mistake that will stay with you forever by leaving your pet alone in a car and potentially putting it at risk.

“Instead, train good habits by always making sure that when you leave the car to run an errand if your dog has been traveling with you, he goes with you.”

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