12/12/2024
Please do not leave your pets in a hot car or walk them in the heat either. It’s just too dangerous. A reminder that if the ground is hot to touch on the back of your hand, it’s too hot for your pets feet.
Over the past three days we have been inundated with heat-related reports, most notably of dogs left in cars at shopping centres.
Dogs regulate their temperature through panting. If the air they are breathing in is hot, they can't regulate their temperature and are at serious risk of heatstroke and/or death.
The temperature in a parked car can quickly climb to double the outside temperature and kill a dog in just six minutes.
If you love your dog, leave them at home when it’s hot. If they suffer from separation anxiety, it’s better to leave them barking in the aircon for 20 minutes than in a locked car. There are no excuses!
If you see a dog in a hot car:
🐾 Identify signs of heatstroke (panting, drooling, agitation, pacing, potential vomiting/diarrhea).
🐾 Note down the vehicle's registration number and location and report it immediately to the RSPCA Cruelty Hotline on 1300 278 358 (1300 CRUELTY) or call WA Police on 131 444.
🐾 If you're at a shopping centre, ask the centre management to page the owner of the vehicle.
🐾 Keep an eye on the dog until help arrives but maintain a suitable distance to ensure you don't agitate them, which could cause further distress, making the dog even hotter.
🐾 Gather as much evidence as possible (vehicle details, time and date, photos of the dog in the vehicle).
It is so sad that we still need to put this message out every summer, but it seems that it's just not sinking in. WA - let's keep our beloved pets safe. 🐶☀️
