A two year old show dog named Reign died inside a parked car in Chester County, Pennsylvania, after her handler went home to help another dog whelp a litter and, according to investigators, forgot Reign was still in the vehicle. The handler now faces animal cruelty and neglect charges. The American Kennel Club answered in July with the Unattended Dogs in Vehicles Policy, which took effect immediately and carries penalties from a one year suspension to a lifetime ban, plus fines up to $10,000.
The rule targets AKC events, but the lesson reaches every driveway and parking lot. A parked car heats up fast: about 19 degrees hotter in just 10 minutes and nearly 30 degrees in 20, even with the windows cracked. Dogs cool themselves mostly by panting, and panting loses its power as the air around them heats up. By the time a dog looks in real trouble, its body may have been struggling for a while.
Here’s what this means for your dog. Heatstroke signs include heavy panting, drooling, restlessness, weakness, and collapse, and severe cases can damage the gut, kidneys, liver, and brain. The safest habit on a warm day is leaving your pup home, since “just a few minutes” in the store is plenty of time for trouble. Dogster has the full story on the new policy and the case that prompted it.