What beautiful weather we've been having! The sun is warm, the sky is clear, and you decide to take your dog for a walk by the beach… but first, you need to make a quick stop. You walk in with the intention of buying sunscreen, but that turns into a lot more when you realize you need water, you remember that you’re out of shampoo, and oh hey!- you just ran into your BFF whom you haven’t seen in a million years! Sweet!
More like sweat. Your poor dog is left out in your car, dying. Literally.
Cars are like an oven. Even when parked in the shade, with the windows “cracked”, cars gather hot air. The car interior absorbs heat, and the windows help keep the heat in. The temperature in the car can rise to well over 150 degrees Fahrenheit- there have even been cases with degrees over 200 degrees Fahrenheit reported.
If it hasn’t been made clear enough yet, do not leave children and pets out in the car. Not even for a minute.
Every year, children and pets left in cars die from heat stroke. If you see a child or a pet left unattended in car on a hot summer’s day, take the initiative yourself and call the police. Heat stroke can happen quickly and you don't know how long the child/pet has been left in the car- and time is of the essence. Inform a store manager that “a (color) (car model) with license plate (######) has unattended children/pets”.
This sad story occurs all too often, and these heat stroke deaths can be prevented SO easily. All it takes is a quick call. Remember – See Something? Say Something… 310-328-3456 or 911 for emergency situations.
If you and your loved ones need assistance dealing with the summer heat the County of Los Angeles has Cooling Centers available. Use this link for a map of locations. http://mapsengine.google.com/map/viewer?mid=z9pztDeZdtqU.kxng5WTVTDIQ
