Maybe you thought you were doing Ponch the Pomeranian mix a favor by taking him along for a Saturday-afternoon car ride on this summer afternoon. As you parked your tan Oldsmobile Highlander in two-hour zone along South King Street, you clearly didn't intend to stay beyond a couple hours... enough time to slurp a bowl of barbecue duck, won-ton and noodles. Then maybe buy baby bok choy at one of the stands.
You exhibited your good intentions by parking under Interstate 5 and cracking the back-passenger window an inch for fresh air.
Two hours could be enough time to broil your dog's brain in a hot car. What the hell were you thinking? Our spotter couldn't tell if Ponch's high-pitched parks communicated "Why do we have to listen to Justin Bieber during the car ride from Shoreline?", "The idiot's Lenovo ThinkPad W510 is under the driver's seat" or "My owner left me in a hot car... and I'm bloody suffocating!"
Maybe the thermometer read 68 degrees, but the "real feel" in the sun was more like 73 degrees. The temperature inside the car, though, can reach 90 degrees. Dogs cool themselves by panting and by sweating through the pads on their paws and feet. In 15 minutes your dog's body temperature can elevate to the extent that Ponch experiences heat exhaustion and organ failure. Signs of possible heat-related illness include drooling, excessive panting, glassy eyes , bright red and gums.
If you encounter the dog-left-in-hot-car syndrome, cool down the canine with water. Don't use ice water, which can cause shock. Transport the dog to the veterinarian ASAP.
Seattle Municipal Code 9.25.081 (D) says that it is unlawful to "confine without adequate ventilation, any animal in any box, container or vehicle." Of course, the court of public opinion may resort to an old-fashioned beat down.
