It seems like ‘old hat’ and yet every year pets succumb to hyperthermia when they are left in hot cars. Unlike humans, dogs and cats have limited ability to cool themselves. It is SO IMPORTANT to be aware of how hot the inside of a vehicle will get in only a few minutes.
The following information was found in a study by a group of researchers at Stanford University in 2005.
- outside 70 degrees, inside 89 degrees after 10 minutes and 104 degrees after 30 minutes
- outside 75 degrees, inside 94 degrees after 10 minutes and 109 degrees after 30 minutes
- outside 80 degrees, inside 99 degrees after 10 minutes and 114 degrees after 30 minutes
- outside 85 degrees, inside 104 degrees after 10 minutes and 119 degrees after 30 minutes
- outside 90 degrees, inside 109 degrees after 10 minutes and 124 degrees after 30 minutes
- outside 95 degrees, inside 114 degrees after 10 minutes and 129 degrees after 30 minutes
- on an 88 degree day, the inside of a vehicle can reach 140 degrees in 1 hour!
Being in the shade with the windows down made very little difference.
It is safest to leave our pets at home unless they will be traveling in an air conditioned vehicle and removed when parked.