When the Temperature Rises – It’s Too Hot for Spot®!

As New England continues to see extremely hot summer conditions, this week, the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) teamed up with Massachusetts State Police (MSP) for ARL’s 8th annual summer safety campaign, Too Hot for Spot®, to remind pet owners about the dangers of leaving an animal in a hot car.

ARL and MSP held a press event at the Massachusetts State Police Headquarters in Framingham, MA, flanked by two K9 troopers and a demonstration of how quickly the interior of a vehicle can heat up.

A large thermometer was placed in an MSP cruiser, and with an outside temperature of 82 degrees, in just 10 minutes the interior of the vehicle heated up to over 120 degrees!

Unlike humans, animals cannot efficiently cool their bodies. And if you think that cracking the windows will help keep your pet cool – it won’t.

As demonstrated, the inside of a vehicle can heat up to well over 100 degrees in a matter of minutes, and the stifling heat inside a car makes animals susceptible to heat stroke, and the onset of symptoms is rapid.

Common symptoms of heat stroke in animals include lethargy or weakness, heavy panting, glazed eyes, profuse salivation, excessive thirst, lack of coordination, a deep red or purple tongue, vomiting – and it can even cause seizures, unconsciousness, or death.

With the onset of heat stroke, every second counts, so if your pet is experiencing any of these symptoms, it is critical that you take them immediately to the closest veterinary hospital for treatment.

Health hazards aside, it is also against the law in Massachusetts to keep an animal confined in a vehicle when extreme heat or cold may threaten the animal’s health – and law enforcement throughout the Commonwealth will be on the lookout throughout the summer.

“Keeping an animal in a hot vehicle is dangerous, potentially deadly and illegal,” stated Massachusetts State Police Colonel Christopher Mason. “The Massachusetts State Police, along with law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth will be steadfast in enforcing this law to keep animals in Massachusetts safe.”

“While pet owners should be well aware of the dangers of leaving animals alone in vehicles during the warm weather months, we sadly still see numerous examples of animals suffering and even dying every year, as the result of being left in the car,” said Dr. Edward Schettino, ARL President and CEO.

Please, when it is hot outside, leave your pet at home. Set them up in a cool, humidity and temperature-controlled room, give them plenty of water, and make sure to limit their outdoor exercise to the morning or evening hours when it is coolest.

To learn more summer pet safety tips, visit arlboston.org/too-hot-for-spot.

Thank You!

ARL would like to thank the Massachusetts State Police for helping spread ARL’s Too Hot for Spot® summer safety campaign to the masses.

Additionally, over the past few years, MassDot has generously donated billboard space for ARL’s Too Hot for Spot® messaging, so drives across the Commonwealth will be reminded of the dangers of leaving an animal in a hot vehicle. ARL thanks you!