Love Pets? Don't Leave Them in a Hot Car

Each Summer, countless dogs and cats suffer needlessly and even die in motor vehicles that become unbearable “virtual ovens” when it is hot outside.

On an average Summer day,  the temperature can reach a “broiling” 160 degrees inside your automobile in mere minutes. Remember, shaded parking areas, partially opened windows, air conditioned vehicles with the engine on can easily become cars whose engines shut off without warning,  The build-up of heat inside of a vehicle can kill an animal very quickly. Even if you leave the windows cracked open, a pet can die of Heat Prostration with 15 Minutes. Animals do not perspire through their skin as humans do. They cool themselves only by panting to evaporate water from their throats and tongues. This is not sufficient to keep them alive in a hot vehicle. 

The police are warning motorists that they can face civil or criminal prosecution under state animal cruelty statutes for leaving animals unattended in their vehicles. 

The New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Humane Police can also be reached at 1-800-582-5979.

People found guilty of leaving unattended animals in vehicles under inhumane conditions could face criminal penalties of $250-$1,000 in fines, and face up to six months in prison. Under civil statute, violators can face a fine of up to $1,000.