Scorching heat puts man’s best friend at risk

Written in association with the Cleveland Daily Banner.

As a heat dome continues to grip much of the United States, it’s crucial to remember to protect pets from the sweltering temperatures.

A heat dome is a weather phenomenon in which a high-pressure system traps warm air over a region, causing prolonged periods of excessively high temperatures, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.

This trapped heat can lead to dangerous conditions, for both humans and animals, as the heat continues to build up with no relief.

With temperatures expected to hover just below 100 degrees over the next several days according to the National Weather Service in Morristown, pet owners must stay vigilant to safeguard their vulnerable pets.

Temperatures in a parked car can rise rapidly, putting those inside at risk of heatstroke and even death.

On Monday, June 21, a Cleveland Police Department officer rescued a dog from a hot car in the Walmart parking lot on Keith Street.

The incident occurred on a day when temperatures reached around 89 degrees at approximately 7 p.m., according to the CPD incident report.

The car was turned off, and only the back window was partially open, police said. Inside the vehicle was a female pit bull, visibly struggling and panting in the intense heat.

The officer provided water to the dog and requested the Walmart manager page the car’s owner over the store’s public address system. After approximately 30 minutes since the initial 911 call, the car’s owners returned to the vehicle.

According to the report, the vehicle owners stated that they “thought they had only been gone for a few minutes.”

The officer issued state citations for animal cruelty to both individuals and explained the dangers and legal consequences of leaving a dog in a hot car.

This incident serves as a reminder of the dangers pets face in hot vehicles.

“The temperatures can get pretty high very quickly in a locked car, even for humans, too,” said Melissa Smith, director of operations for the SPCA of Bradley County.

Assuming that the dog had been found as soon as the suspects had gone into the store, the interior of the car was at least 115 degrees, according to a Hot Car Calculator.

With the heat dome showing no signs of relenting in the near future, some say that it’s essential to stay mindful about safeguarding pets from the extreme weather conditions sweeping across the state.

“Heat exhaustion becomes a huge concern for pets,” Smith said.

Tragically, hundreds of pets succumb to heat exhaustion-related deaths each year because they are left in parked cars, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

If pet owners find it necessary to take their dogs along for errands, Smith advised leaving the car running with the air conditioning on.

“If you wouldn’t do it with a human child, don’t do it with your dogs either,” she said.