Pets can suffer heat stroke, die in closed, hot cars

WASHINGTON – On a 95 degree day, the temperature inside a sealed car can reach 107 degrees in less than one minute.

“After 10 minutes, the temperature can actually get up as high as 117 degrees,” explains Fairfax County Police Officer Bud Walker.

“When it gets hot, we often see pets in cars,” he says.

Pet owners can be hit with a fine or even face criminal charges if they neglect their animals during a heat wave.

Even with windows cracked, leaving pets in vehicles will cause them to suffer from heat stroke.

“Pets can dehydrate very quickly,” Walker says.

If you see an animal in a car with the windows up, police urge you to call 911 and report it immediately.

“It’s more common than we would like,” says Walker.

“We want to get the word out to people that they need to be cognizant,” he says.

D.C. Fire tweeted on Monday about rescuing this dog on Sunday from a hot car.

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