Pledge to Never Leave Pets Unattended in Your Car

Summer is still months away but temperatures are already on the rise across the Southland. On a hot day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar up to 160 degrees, even in the shade. This is hot enough to cause heat stroke and permanent brain damage in pets.

The normal temperature for a dog or cat is several degrees higher than that of a human. So animals confined in a car are more susceptible to heat stroke than humans. Dogs with flat faces (like Pugs or English Bulldogs), obese dogs, and ones with heavy coats have an even greater risk of overheating. And since dogs do not sweat, it's important to take extra precautions on hot days.

Leaving an animal unattended in a hot car can result in being charged with animal cruelty under California Penal Code 597.7. spcaLA enforces this statute and recommends calling 911 if you witness an animal in distress. Under this law, the police are authorized to break car windows, if necessary, to free the victim.

Help us spread the word by taking our pledge to NOT leave pets unattended in your car, not even for 5 seconds. And remember to tell everyone you know that it's illegal and deadly.