In the News: Tails of Marin
Dogs, cars and warm days don't mix
By Brigitte Coleman
It’s noon when the call comes in to the Marin Humane Society’s customer care department. A person has left their dog in their car at the mall. My heart starts to race as I take the information as quickly as I can. My main focus is to get the animal services officer there as soon as possible; all the while, I think how could anyone leave their pet in a car on a day like today?
The officer arrives on scene within minutes; however, the parking lot is full and the caller’s description of the car and its location were sketchy. Finally, she finds the car. Inside is a medium-sized shepherd mix pacing and panting heavily. There is no time to waste, but the officer needs proof that she had “just cause” to remove the dog. She takes the temperature of the inside of the vehicle, which reads 130 degrees. That’s all she needs. The windows are down far enough to unlock the car door and she removes the dog from the vehicle.
The dog is very lethargic and has labored breathing. She offers him cool water and wraps his body with cool towels to attempt to lower his body temperature. Just then, the dog’s guardian arrives on the scene. “What are you doing with my dog,” he asks? “You had no right to break into my car.” The officer responds that his dog is suffering from heat stroke and is going to need immediate medical attention. Reluctantly, the dog guardian agrees to follow her to the closest veterinary hospital.
The officer calls ahead and alerts the clinic to the dog’s condition. The veterinary staff meets her out front and quickly gets the dog inside. Upon arrival, the dog starts to have a seizure. In this case, the veterinary staff was able to treat the dog and pull him through. However, the dog sustained some residual brain damage and now has some physical challenges.
Day after day during the spring and summer, the Marin Humane Society receives numerous calls from the public about animals left in vehicles. Last weekend, MHS received about a dozen reports of dogs left in hot cars. Many people don’t understand how dangerous this is. The only way you could begin to understand how a dog feels in a hot vehicle would be to wrap yourself in plastic wrap and put on a fur coat. Their bodies cannot sweat like ours. Instead, dogs cool themselves by panting — yet, hot air (breath) in a confined area only makes the area hotter.
Dogs left in hot cars often appear to be okay, yet they still sustain the effects of heat exhaustion. Because the heat literally cooks the dogs from the inside out, brain damage can occur in as little as 10 minutes in a hot car. Even on mildly warm days or in the shade, a car’s interior can reach 160 degrees in a few minutes.
If the potential for serious harm or death to their dog doesn’t deter owners, maybe the fact that it is against the law in Marin County to leave a pet unattended in a vehicle on a warm day will. Any law enforcement officer can and will use whatever means are necessary to remove a pet from a vehicle if the animal is in distress. In addition, the animal may be impounded and the pet owner cited.
In 2007 the law for leaving animals in vehicles was enhanced to include leaving animals with improper ventilation. The penalties for enforcing these laws also increased and include higher fines, and possible jail time for people who continually violate this law.
The best thing to do is to leave your pets at home on warm days. And if you see an animal in a car on a warm day, get the vehicle description and license plate and call the Marin Humane Society immediately at 883-4621. Your call could save the dog’s life.
Brigitte Coleman is the customer care supervisor at the Marin Humane Society.
