Even for a short time on a warm day, a hot car can be fatal to a dog: OSPCA

Jeremy Gardiner says anyone considering leaving their dog in their vehicle on a warm summer day should first put on a snowsuit, roll up the windows and sit there.

It won’t take long for extreme discomfort to set it, said Gardiner, an agent with the Ontario Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
So far this year he’s received about 30 calls reporting pets left to swelter in vehicles. And while the temperatures haven’t really risen to heat-wave proportions, it doesn’t take the mercury rising much to put a dog’s life in danger.

“A dog’s temperature is normally around 39 degrees, so at 41 degrees, which is just a few off there, there can be irreparable damage to them. Their brains can fry and they can actually pass away.

A vehicle’s interior can heat up in a hurry, according to statistics by k9rescue.com.

When it’s just 24 C outside, the interior temperature can hit 38 C in 10 minutes and a whopping 48 C in about half-an-hour.
The hotter it gets outside, the quicker the heat builds inside.

Better safe than sorry, Gardiner said.

“We don’t set a gauge, but when it’s above 17 C, you’re looking at it being too hot for your dog, so just leave him at home.”
Aside from putting a beloved pet’s life at risk, getting caught can be costly.

“You can be charged under the OSPCA Act, which could be up to a $60,000 fine and two years in prison. Or you can be charged under the criminal code for the same and you’re looking at 18 months in jail for leaving your dog in the car. So it’s that serious,” Gardiner said.

To date, a year into his post in Northwestern Ontario, Gardiner said he hasn’t had to take it that far yet. Offenders seem to be getting the message with the first warning.

“We try to educate first, but if your dog is going to be in distress and it has to go to the vet, then you’re definitely going to get charged,” he said.

Puppies up to six months, large dogs over seven and small breeds older than 14 are most at risk, as are overweight and under-exercised dogs and those with thick or black coats.

According to the website, if your dog is suffering from heatstroke, move it to a cool, shady area or place in cool, but not cold, water.