Dogs Trust Issues Stark Warning Not to Leave Dogs in Cars

With warm weather forecast for the weekend, we are reminding owners to never leave dogs unattended in cars, as even a few minutes could prove fatal. While summer heat in general is dangerous for dogs, the temperature inside a parked car can be one of the biggest risks. Research has shown that on a 22-degree Celsius day, the temperature inside a car can rise to 33-degrees in just 10-minutes.  

We are warning dog owners of the risks hot weather poses for our four-legged friends, who cannot cool themselves down as easily as people can. Dogs are highly susceptible to overheating as they must rely on panting or releasing small amounts of heat through their paw pads. When the air or ground temperature rises, this becomes increasingly difficult for them. If a dog becomes too hot, they will naturally seek out somewhere cooler to lie down, but if they are stuck inside a warm car, they are unable to do this.

Melanie Kevelighan, PR and Communications Officer, Dogs Trust Ireland advises: “Contrary to what many people think, parking the car in the shade, or leaving the windows rolled down does little to alleviate the temperature in car. Sadly, just a few minutes alone in a hot car could be fatal to your dog, so please never ever take that risk. It’s also important to think twice about planning any car trips with your dog. If you do need to travel with them, consider going at cooler times of the day, avoid areas where you might get stuck in traffic and identify places where you can stop for breaks before embarking on the journey.”

Niamh Curran-Kelly, Veterinary and Welfare Manager, Dogs Trust Ireland continues: “Dogs can easily overheat as their methods of cooling themselves down simply aren’t that effective. In a confined space like a car, the air temperature can rise rapidly, which means it becomes even more difficult for them to release heat by panting. Sadly, heatstroke can be deadly if dogs aren’t returned to their normal body temperature quickly, and so if you think your dog may be overheating take immediate action to start cooling them down and contact your vet as soon as possible for advice.”

For more tips on keeping dogs safe and happy in warmer weather, go to DogsTrust.ie/HotWeather