Summer around the corner, Humane Society worried about pets in hot cars

Summer is right around the corner, the temperatures are rising, and the Humane Society wants to raise awareness about the dangers of leaving your pets inside a hot car.

According to Humane Society of El Paso Executive Director, Betty Hoover, an animal left in the car for 10 minutes can suffer from heat stroke.

The animal legal and historical center says there’s no law protecting Texans who break into someone else’s hot car to rescue an overheated dog.

Hoover suggests a few ways to go about helping a dog if you see them in a hot vehicle.

First thing is to call your local animal care and control agency or police department immediately.
Second is to get the vehicle’s tag number and enter the nearest store or business to request an emergency announcement be made about a pet left in a hot car.
After all that is done, go back and wait for police at the vehicle.

When leaving a pet in a hot vehicle they are at high risk for a heat stroke.

Signs of a heat stroke include excessive panting, drooling, obvious distress, disorientation, and passing out.

Hoover has some tips to bring an overheated pet’s temperature down.

“The first thing they need to do is try cooling the dog down immediately. Get the animal to a veterinary clinic. If you have access to water the first thing to do is to try and put cool water all over the animals body to try and bring down the animals body temperature.”

Hoover hopes that bringing awareness to this occurring issue will prevent animals and children from suffering heat stroke and possibly death.