HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – Summer is around the corner, and as the weather heats up, local animal shelters are reminding owners to avoid leaving their pets in hot cars.
According to Huck Nawaz, executive director of the Rockingham – Harrisonburg SPCA, dogs heat up faster than humans, making it potentially fatal for them if left in a hot car. Breeds like pugs, bulldogs and boxers are especially vulnerable because their snouts make it hard to cool down when they breathe.
”Each year, we get at least a couple of dogs, brought in by animal control or law enforcement, that have been left in cars,” said Nawaz, “We had two come in last year that we rushed to emergency care.”
Signs a dog is overheated include excessive panting, white spots on the tongue and wet paw pads.
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