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. Verona Police Capt. Mitchell Stern said for short trips, it's better to simply leave your pet at home.

"People park their car to run into the dry cleaners, thinking they will only be a few seconds and that their pet will be fine. Before they know it, they're talking to the guy behind the counter and they lose track of time. It doesn't take very long before an animal can suffer permanent injury or die in the heat of a car in the summer sun."

Stern said residents who spot animals in parked cars can notify the Bloomfield police immediately.

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.