Riding in cars with dogs

Hopefully, everyone is aware of the danger of leaving dogs in cars on sunny, hot, or extremely cold days.  Thankfully, more and more people are also becoming aware of the dangers of leaving unrestrained dogs loose in cars, as well.  However, a disturbing trend has developed.  Some groups have taken it upon themselves to stop people from ever leaving their dogs in cars, whether it is safe to do so or not.

Let’s not mince words:  If you truly believe a dog is in distress at any time, it is your duty, as a compassionate member of society, to do everything in your power to rescue that animal. 

However, private citizens and some animal welfare groups alike have taken up the torch of falsely accusing people of animal endangerment, simply for leaving their dogs alone in their cars.  “The risk to the dog” they say, “far outweighs the citizen’s rights.”

Misguided, albeit well-meaning, remarks are directed at anyone who leaves his or her dog visibly alone in a car at a time when the bystander perceives it to be too hot.  Whether or not the dog is actually in distress almost seems to be irrelevant.  These kinds of people are so caught up in this generalization that they are actually doing a disservice to all dog owners.  It would be much more effective to spread the word about the POTENTIAL harm of leaving a dog in a car for extended periods on very hot or very cold days, rather than making false and unjust accusations.  It is always the best policy to hold individuals responsible for what they've actually done, and not what someone else has done, or what some third party imagines they might do.

The law requires both PROBABLE CAUSE and THE PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE when accusing someone of wrongdoing.

Responsible dog owners can, in fact, determine when it is or isn’t safe to leave their dogs inside their own vehicles.  Bystanders may not be aware of factors such as air conditioning or that the owner was really only gone for 30 seconds. 

Simply being alone in a car does not harm a dog. 

If a dog appears to be in distress in a vehicle, any caring bystander should call authorities and/or break into the vehicle to save the animal.  At the very least, s/he should wait by the vehicle to ensure the owner does return.  This puts the onus on the bystander to be justifiably concerned about that animal’s welfare before taking such measures as notifying authorities.  Falsely accusing someone of animal neglect is not only unfair, but insulting as well.  Leaving a note on the vehicle does nothing to rescue the dog inside.

(We've actually heard a number of accounts, in which accusers claim the dog was "clearly in distress" because it was panting.  An animal welfare agency -that should know better - included this kind of misleading information in a press release.  While we can't educate everyone about dog physiology or behaviour, we can say this:

 

Dogs pant for a number of reasons.  Being hot is only one of them.

 

Dogs pant when they're happy, excited, nervous, or hot.  That panting dog in a car may not be hot at all.)

In reality, the external temperature must be above 90°F* for ten minutes before the internal temperature of a car reaches 100°F.  It must be above 90°F for almost thirty minutes before the internal temperature reaches above 120°F. 

*You absolutely can not refer to yourself as a responsible dog owner if you leave your dog in an un-air-conditioned vehicle when it is 90°F, even for 5 minutes. 

In general, the 'hot day rule' is 1°F rise per minute the car is parked.

5 minutes = 5°F rise

10 minutes = 10°F rise

...up to a (probable) maximum temperate value of 140°F

If the starting temperature of the car's interior is a cool, air conditioned 70°F; ten minutes later, even on the hottest day, the temperature is unlikely to be above 80°F. 

If, however, the car's interior is equal to that outdoors, even ten minutes could be quite uncomfortable for you or your dog.  If the starting temperature of the car's interior is 85°F; ten minutes later, it could be 95°F inside.  If you come back to your car at the 10 minute mark, you've just rescued your dog from almost certain injury, such as brain damage, had it gone on just a few minutes longer.

Responsible dog owners don’t leave their dogs in cars for more than thirty minutes, even when it would be safe to do so.  It’s not an ethical practice. 

In the summer of 2006, a couple left their two Newfoundlands in their car, while they shopped for over 5 hours, on the hottest day of the year.  When the couple returned to the vehicle, the internal temperature had risen from 35C to 40C.  One of the dogs was dead, and the other dying.  Despite its harrowing 5 hour ordeal, the second dog survived, and the owners were heavily fined for animal endangerment and cruelty.  They were not, however, barred from future dog ownership.

Temperature rise is only part of the equation, though.  Time is the extenuating factor, where heat dissipation is concerned.

What many people don't understand is the vehicle creates a closed system.  If the dog is hot, it will pant.  Moisture in the dog's mouth and nasal passages absorbs heat from the dog's body, allowing it to evaporate and, thus, cool the dog.  With continued respirations in a closed system, the moisture in the dog's breath eventually builds to the point the air in the vehicle is saturated, and evaporation slows dramatically or ceases. Once that critical point is reached, the dog is almost doomed.  Rescue must come immediately. 

This scenario does not play out over 5 minutes, however.  In just about every case, a dog must be left in a hot vehicle for at an hour (or more) before it becomes fatal.  That is not to say that distress and brain damage can't set in much sooner, though.

Again, responsible dog owners don’t leave their dogs in cars for more than thirty minutes, even when it would be safe to do so.  It’s not an ethical practice. 

Some people wildly exaggerate the temperature rise or fall inside an enclosed vehicle.  One web site claims that, inside a car, "the temperature can rise from the external 70°F, to over 140°F in just a few minutes."  That claim is completely preposterous.  But don't take our word for it.  Do this simple experiment yourself....and.....be honest. 

On a hot day, bring along a thermometer and park your car in direct sunlight.  Write down the time you parked your car, then record the temperature every five minutes. (If you don't actually write it down, you may fall victim to the very human flaw of exaggeration, over time.)  This real-world test will prove to you that yes, your car is too hot to be comfortable for your dog when it is hot and sunny, but no, it does not magically explode with heat in a few, short minutes. 

The television show, Myth Busters (Discovery Channel), conducted an experiment in which they attempted to recreate the myth that aerosol cans would explode from the heat inside a car parked in the summer sun.  With an external temperature of 85°F, the internal temperature of the black car with its windows up, never went above 121°F, even after several hours.  And no, the aerosol cans didn't explode, either.  This doesn't mean that it is safe to leave one's dog in a car at 121°F, or even 85°F.  It merely disproves urban legends that purport stratospheric rises in temperature inside a vehicle. 

Laws and public policies should be based on fact, not myth.

In 2006, a product was advertised on television, purporting to keep vehicles cooler via a solar powered fan that pulls hot air from the vehicle.  Using two black vehicles, parked side by side, in the sun, the highest temperature recorded in the unventilated vehicle was just over 107°F.  While that is far too hot for a dog to survive for any length of time, it certainly is more in line with the plausible temperature rise inside a vehicle.

If it's too hot or too cold for you to sit in the car, then it's not safe for your dog, either.  Find a temperature that is comfortable for yourself, and use that as a guideline for your dog's comfort and safety. 

Here’s a story that describes an incident involving one dog owner, a misinformed citizen, and an over-zealous humane group:

A man, his wife, and his dog parked in the lot at the local pet food store.  Not being too warm outside, the man decided to wait in the car with their dog while his wife went in to purchase a large bag of dog food.  While waiting, the man spied an old friend nearby.  He left his vehicle and walked the forty or so feet to greet his friend.  After about 10 minutes, the man saw his wife walking towards the car.  They loaded up and started for home.  Upon arriving at their residence, the man received a call from the local animal welfare group.  “Do you have a vehicle with the license plate X,Y,Z?”, asked the caller.  “Yes, I do,” replied the man.  “Well sir,” began the caller, “you have been reported for animal neglect.  Your dog was spotted alone in your vehicle.”  “Yes" pleaded the man, "but I was standing near the vehicle the whole time, and it was only about 10 minutes.”  “That doesn’t matter, sir.  We have a report of animal neglect, and it will stay on file.  If we should receive another report, we can seize your dog,” admonished the caller.  No room for facts where hysteria is concerned.

This case clearly describes why false accusations help no one, least of all dogs; where the same effort spent on education could do so much more.

It's a sad reality of our society, that we've chosen to go for the easy "fix"...even when it is no fix at all.  We pass laws focused more on appearance, than action.  Perfectly innocent dogs are being banned, and even killed, based on the shapes of their heads or their coat lengths.  Dog owners are being targeted for special restrictions and even penalties, also based on the appearances of their dogs, and not any act they may have committed. 

In this case, simply viewing a dog in a vehicle is the only "evidence" necessary to presume the guilt of the owner.  (In this sense, our only advice, to truly responsible dog owners who AREN'T actually placing their dogs in jeopardy, would be to have their vehicle windows tinted.  This kind of hysterical zealotry is primarily aimed at dogs that can be readily seen.  If they can't see your happy, comfortable dog, these people can't accuse you of negligence.) 

January, 2007, the SPCA charged a South African veterinarian with animal cruelty, after a dead dog was spotted in her car, in a mall parking lot.  Despite protestations by the veterinarian, the charges were laid, and the case went before a judge.  When the judge finally evaluated the evidence, the charges were dropped.  You see, the veterinarian provided proof for her claim that a client had called to report their dog had drowned; and she'd gone to pick up the dog's carcass on her way to another appointment.  She pointed out that she had no choice but to leave the dog's body in her vehicle, as she wouldn't have had time to take it to her clinic straight away. 

 

A security guard spotted the lifeless dog, and called authorities...which is great.  But, in the words of the state prosecutor, "The SPCA assumed that it had suffocated."  

 

Of course this is a very unusual example, which doesn't necessarily demonstrate overzealousness.  There was, in fact, a dead dog in the car.  But it does go to show that even a veterinarian can be falsely accused of animal cruelty, when it comes to dogs in cars.  This could have irreparably harmed her reputation, if it had been a circumstance where she wasn't able to provide a third party statement corroborating her story.  Everyone just assumed the dog died as a result of being left in a hot car.

When pointing fingers, few bother to record the temperature inside the vehicle, or to have the dog independently assessed by a veterinarian, to determine if the dog is actually in any kind of distress at all.  The average pedestrian, police officer, or politician does not have the necessary expertise to make snap judgements of this nature.  Their observations tend to be on the obtuse side. 

For instance, one woman, merely having walked by and observed a dog in a car, accused the owner of endangerment.  This, despite the fact the owner was in the car with the dog; the car was running with the air conditioning on until about 30 seconds before the woman happened by; and the internal temperature of the vehicle was measured at a frosty 65F.  THIS is what we're talking about.  The dog was completely comfortable, with the owner inside the vehicle, yet she was STILL accused of endangering her dog...merely because it was a hot day, and the vacuous person walking by inexpertly decided the dog was in danger.

 

In another case, a woman was gone for under two minutes when she returned to her vehicle, only to be met with hysterical accusations and threats.  Some passerby had seen the woman's dog in the vehicle parked in front of a convenience store and, not knowing how long it had been there or where the owner was, immediately called police.  A kafuffle quickly ensued, involving a lot of unfounded accusations against the dog owner.  The police arrived, and admonished the dog owner for leaving her dog in the car.  When she pointed out that she was clearly at a convenience store, and had only been gone for a couple of minutes, the officers dismissed those facts, and continued to berate her.  They suggested she was "lucky" they didn't arrest her.  The dogs were not, and never had been, in any distress whatsoever.  It was only 72F.

Incidents like these are ludicrous, yet they continue to occur.  In reality, there are ways to travel safely with dogs in cars, without putting them in jeopardy and, dare to dream, actually making the trip quite safe, comfortable, and enjoyable for everyone.

Some would say, “The danger of leaving a dog in a car far outweighs any convenience to the owner.”  Such huge generalizations are the hallmark of truly inexperienced folks.  It’s as though the only scenario imaginable is the uncaring person who thinks nothing of leaving a dog trapped in a sweltering vehicle while the owner shops in the mall for hours.

The fact remains there are many perfectly reasonable situations where dog owners have no choice but to leave their dogs in their cars.  After all, dogs are not allowed in many establishments.  Those who travel extensively with their pets can rhyme off dozens of scenarios in which they had no choice but to leave their dogs in the car for brief periods, WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO.  When travelling by car, 'home' IS the car.

Imagine driving your dog an hour, to an off-leash dog park.  Now imagine your favourite art gallery is just five minutes from there (but a 65 minute drive from your home).  You receive a call on your cellular phone, telling you the painting you had framed and pre-paid, is ready to be picked up.  Do you:

1. worry so much about the hysterics who might spot your dog waiting in your car for the 2-5 minutes it takes to pick up the painting, that you make the hour drive home; drop off the dog; drive 65 minutes back to where you just were; pick up the painting; and drive 65 minutes home again?  (If so, at least we know you have a lot of free time on your hands and no concerns about global warming!)

2. have enough personal integrity and knowledge that you defiantly drive to the art gallery; leave the dog in your locked, air conditioned vehicle; pick up the painting; return to th vehicle in under 5 minutes; and drive home without wasting a lot of time or needlessly polluting the environment more than you had to?

Obviously, there are countless scenarios that make safely leaving a dog in a vehicle for short periods not only a reasonable choice, but even necessary, in some cases.

Some groups, however, have taken this hysteria to new levels, providing pre-printed flyers that can be placed on the windows of vehicles where dogs are observed inside.  The flyers caution the owner that the dog may be in distress. 

GoodPooch.com asks: What could be more negligent than believing an animal is in distress and simply leaving a piece of paper for the owner to read? 

If one truly believes an animal is in distress, one should do what one can to rescue that animal. 

However, it would be a much better idea to place flyers on all cars, and educate hundreds, rather than leaving what could be interpreted as an insulting message to one responsible owner who hasn’t actually put his/her dog in danger.

One humane organization claimed that leaving dogs in hot cars "...results in hundreds of deaths each year."  We contacted them to say we find this claim puzzling, in that we've been researching this issue for a while, and haven't found documentation for "hundreds of deaths" since the invention of the automobile, much less "hundreds of deaths" "each year."  At least that humane group had the good sense to correct that aspect of their web site.  Unfortunately, they haven't stopped promulgating hysteria about dogs in cars.

Where dogs have died as a result of being left in a hot vehicle, the duration was most likely an hour or more.  If you're hysterical about seeing a dog in a parked car, but not when the dog is in the car while the owner pumps gas for up to 7 minutes on a hot day, you're really the worst kind of hypocrite. 

Of course it is possible that something could happen to the owner, preventing him/her from returning to the vehicle in a timely manner.  Unpredictable things happen every day.  While this would be a terrible and unforeseeable tragedy, it's unrealistic to expect people to be able to imagine, and plan for, every possible eventuality that could occur.  Unfortunate things happen to dogs all the time, with and without their owners.

Case in point: The day after a dog left alone in the owner's home, died when the house went up in flames and no one was around to rescue it, a woman drove her friend to a mall, with her dog along for the ride.  The two women left the vehicle, reportedly so the driver could walk her friend to a specific point in the mall.  Because dogs are not permitted in the mall, even for a few moments, the owner had no choice but to leave the dog behind.  Being a somewhat warm day, the driver didn't anticipate it would take more than a few minutes to and from the mall.  However, at some point after the two women parted ways, but before the driver made it back to the vehicle, the dog's owner suffered a seizure and collapsed.  (She had no history of seizure.)  When her dog was later found in the car, and in distress from overheating, the police contemplated charging the owner with animal cruelty, despite the extenuating circumstances. 

This is the kind of hysteria that ignores fact and reason, in favour of easy sound bites and huge generalizations that can't possibly apply to every, real-world situation.

Again, this is not about justifying putting dogs in needless jeopardy.  It is about fact and reason, and responsibility.  Just as dog owners are responsible for ethically caring for their dogs; those who accuse strangers of wrongdoing are responsible for being able to prove their claims.

Simply being alone in a car does not harm a dog.

When is it not safe for a dog to be left inside a car?

1. For ongoing periods, when the temperature is approx. 74°F (23°C) or above inside the vehicle.
2. When the temperature is well-below freezing.  (This is especially important for shorthaired dogs.)
3. Extended periods of time.  You may have no place to leave your pet while you patronize certain businesses, but that is no excuse for leaving a dog alone in a car longer than a half hour, even if it might seem “safe” to do so.
4. If the vehicle does not have adequate security features to minimize the likelihood of theft.  Many dogs have been stolen from unlocked vehicles.

When can a dog safely stay inside a car?

1. When the temperature isn’t too hot or too cold INSIDE the car.  Temperatures can rise or fall dramatically, once the car’s air conditioning or heating is turned off, so extreme caution must be used.  As always, owners bear the responsibility for accurately determining if it is safe to leave their dogs in their cars.
2. Even on hot or cold days, when the owner will be away from the vehicle for mere seconds (generally under 5 minutes).  It’s curious that nobody thinks anything of the dog inside the car while the owner pumps gas for up to 7 full minutes.  But magically, the dog is all of a sudden on the verge of death if the owner leaves the car for two minutes, to pick up a package. 
3. Anytime, if the owner leaves the air conditioning/heating on, as needed.  This assumes the owner is not planning on leaving the animal in the vehicle for more than about 5 minutes.  (Heating and air conditioning systems have been known to break, so extreme caution is also necessary here.)  The vehicle must also be locked, or otherwise reasonably secured to prevent the theft of the dog.

How to recognize the signs of a dog suffering heat exhaustion

1. body temperature above 104°F
2. excessive panting or salivating
3. excessive barking, as if in distress and trying to escape
4. dark or bright red tongue and gums
5. seizures
6. bloody diarrhea or vomitting
7. coma

Author’s note:

While writing this article, I had to leave for an appointment.  I entered my black car, which has black leather seats, and noticed it was completely comfortable, having been sitting in the sun all afternoon at 20°C.  On another day, I left my car in an above-ground, multi-level garage all afternoon.  When I entered the vehicle, it was completely comfortable, having been sitting without any major breeze, but in the shade of the open-sided parking garage.  When I started my car, the external temperature was displayed as 33°C, even though inside the vehicle it couldn't have been more than about 22-24°C.  You see, although I’m not advocating leaving dogs in cars willy nilly, it is entirely possible that a dog’s life is not in danger simply by virtue of being left in a vehicle, possibly even on hot or sunny days. 

It is the temperature INSIDE the vehicle that is most important, combined with the length of time the dog has been left. Trust that most dog owners are not endangering their pets.  Look for signs that the dog is truly in distress, not just alone in the vehicle.  If in doubt, check with local veterinary clinics and police departments for the facts.  In reality, fatalities caused by overheating in a car are actually quite rare in most North American communities.  When they do occur, they are typically the result of a dog having been left in the vehicle for at least an hour or more. 

There will always be irresponsible people, but the mantra of GoodPooch.com is "responsible dog owners shouldn't have to pay for the misdeeds of  irresponsible people."  Please, if you believe a dog is truly in distress, call authorities immediately and stay nearby; rescuing the dog, if necessary.  Any responsible dog owner would welcome your efforts.

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