Windsor/Essex County Humane Society officials say they get many calls about animals that have been left in a parked car in hot weather.
The shelter is reminding all pet owners about the dangers of shutting their animals in the car.
It’s easy to underestimate just how quickly a car can heat up, say shelter workers. In under 10 minutes the temperature in a parked car, even in the shade with the windows partly open, can rapidly reach a level that will seriously harm or even kill a pet.
The humane society demonstrated how hot a parked car can get on Thursday. Officials put a stuffed animal in a closed vehicle with a thermometre. Temperatures can reach 42 C within 10 minutes, although on cooler days it will take a little longer.
Anyone who sees an animal in a car on a warm or humid day can ask nearby stores to page customers. If the pet is in distress or the owner can’t be found, call the Humane Society at (519) 966-5751 or local police.
