Are you guilty of leaving pets in hot car?

A news item in our local newspaper—”Man faces charges after leaving dogs in hot car.”
This was in central Florida, but could just as well been Slidell. A dog owner now faces charges for leaving his two dogs in his car without the engine running, causing the dogs to die.
The man parked his car before noon last Thursday, at a golf college. A woman walking by the car saw the dogs, a German Shepherd and a Golden Retriever, in distress and went for help from the college staff.
The dogs were removed from the car and treated with cool wet towels and ice packs. The Shepherd died at the scene from heat exhaustion and the Retriever was taken to an animal hospital, but died during the night.
This shook me up and I realized I had not done my annual scolding about pet owners being stupid and taking their dogs for a ride in the car during the hot weather.
The temperature, these days, is reading in the nineties and that is HOT. The news item did not say what the charges were, but it will be for cruelty.
When I was living in Lacombe, and volunteering at the Slidell Animal Shelter, I recall how often the animal control officers would get calls about a dog left in a car and appearing to be in great distress.
Heat stroke or heat exhaustion is no small deal. The dog starts with panting, trying to cool itself; then drooling, weakness, dilated pupils, and, eventually, unconsciousness. The last blow is brain damage or death.
Dogs and cats sweat through the pads of their feet, and by panting. This is the only way they can cool themselves.
I’m so tired hearing, “I’m going to run into the store for a minute.” Any number of reasons can hold you up in that store. Cracking windows or parking in the shade doesn’t get it either.
Please, please, please leave your dog or other pet at home when you shop or run errands during these hot days. Every year I have to shake up long-time pet owners to remember this, and warn first-time pet owners to not leave their dog in a car.
In 10 minutes, that car becomes an oven. Then that tragic chain of events starts, unless the animal is rescued in time.
Many states have what is called a Good Samaritan law, which relieves the person of liability breaking into a hot car to save an animal or child. Of course, call law enforcement or animal control at once.
Normal temperature for a dog is 101.5 to 102.2 degrees. Should you rescue a dog (or cat) from an overheated situation, put it in the shade and start covering it with cool wet towels and an ice pack on the head. Cool the animal down slowly, then get it to the veterinarian.
What could be worse than returning to your vehicle and finding your animal companion dead?
(Pat Chiri can be reached at patchiri@gmail.com.)