Leave Fido at home on hot days
By PAT FRIDGEN Echo Pilot

An unidentified woman was surprised to be approached by a Greencastle police officer in the Greencastle Market Place at 6 p.m. August 7. A citizen had called police about a dog left unattended in her enclosed vehicle. Witnesses said the animal was alone for over half an hour while the temperature was in the mid-90s.

The recent spell of hot weather has raised concerns for pets left unattended in vehicles while their owners leave 'for just a minute.'

That minute usually lasts much longer, and in the meantime, the animal is at high risk of dehydration, heatstroke and even death.

"We advise people to leave their dogs at home in the air conditioning," said Candy Clopper, Executive Director of the Antietam Humane Society in Waynesboro.

While people understand that children should never be left alone in a vehicle, the same holds true for animals.

Clopper said that on an 85- degree day, the temperature in a car, even with the window cracked, can rise to 102 degrees in ten minutes and 120 degrees in thirty minutes. Humidity compounds the problem.

Just as that would be uncomfortable for an adult, who has the choice to leave, it is not pleasant for a dog that cannot speak for itself. It could turn into a disastrous situation.

"It's lethal," she said.

PAWS, the Partnership for Animal Welfare, states that experts recommend not leaving pets in parked cars if the temperature exceeds 60 degrees. Even those with open windows or in the shade do not guarantee safety.

Animals do not sweat like humans. Dogs cool off by panting and sweating through their paws. PAWS said in overheated air the pets can collapse, suffer brain- and cardiovascular damage and die.

Clopper said dogs with short noses, such as boxers and pugs, suffer ill effects more quickly due to their lower breathing ability.

In Pennsylvania it is illegal to mistreat or abuse an animal. Clopper, who is also the Humane Society Police Officer in south-central Franklin County, investigates violations of animal laws. She prefers to educate the public rather than penalize. She advises people who spot a dog in a hot car to first ask store personnel to page customers to find the owner.

If that effort is unsuccessful, they should call police or the Humane Society. The important thing is to act.

"Unfortunately, I think it happens more than we realize," she continued. "It's a matter of minutes before harm occurs. It's life or death for the animals."