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As Summer Heats Up, So Does Risk Of Pets Overheating In The Car

Greenhill Humane Society

As summer heats up, so does the risk of pets overheating. The most important thing you can do to keep your cat or dog safe is to leave them at home when you run errands. 

  

  

“The inside of a car can get exponentially hotter by the second to a point of fatality,” said Megan Brezovar, Community Engagement and Humane Education Manager at Greenhill Humane.

Oregon’s “Good Samaritan” law says anyone can take an unattended pet from a motor vehicle if they are at risk.

Before people start breaking windows Brezovar suggests contacting law enforcement. 

“I actually witnessed a horrible experience of a dog locked in a hot car. I did call the police,” Brzovar said. “And they made it such a huge priority they removed that dog from the car immediately.”

The call also creates a record of the incident that law enforcement can use to follow-up with the owners.

Some newer model electric cars have a “dog mode” that keeps pets safe.

“The vehicle may sound like it’s off, but they still have their climate control inside and air conditioning going,” said Brezovar.

 

Aubrey Bulkeley co-created FLUX podcast, a three-part series to accompany award-winning UO School of Journalism and Communication publication, FLUX Magazine. Bulkeley finished her Master's degree in Journalism at the University of Oregon in 2019.
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