Distressing photo shows dog locked in a car on a hot day
Firefighters have warned of the dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars after spotting a close call while on patrol.
Crew from Lidcombe Fire and Rescue NSW in Sydney’s west were driving in intense heat on Monday when they noticed a dog inside a car with no owner in sight.
As they approached the vehicle, the dog was visibly distressed and panting heavily, the station revealed in a Facebook post.
The firefighters managed to free the dog from the vehicle but had a stern warning for its owner.
“These high temperatures can quickly become fatal,” the station said.
“The outside temperature was 29C and studies have shown that temperatures inside the car could have been as high as 40C after 10 minutes or 48C after 30 minutes.”
And while the owner had left the window ajar, the station warned that such a move failed to reduce the rising temperature inside vehicles.
The RSPCA concurs, saying that a car with its windows open will heat up at nearly the same rate as cars with windows closed.
The RSPCA also said it took just six minutes for a dog to die in a hot car.
And the warning extends to dog walkers, with scorching summer temperatures leaving some types of pavement surfaces unwalkable for pets.
Stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo7’s daily newsletter. Sign up here.
