Heat death: How to free dogs from parked cars

Within a short time, the temperature inside a vehicle can rise to up to 60 °C. These are the points that attentive passers-by must consider from a legal perspective if they wish to free dogs on their own initiative.

As a general rule: in direct sunlight, the interior of a vehicle heats up by one degree per minute – even at an outside temperature of 30 °C, values of up to 60 °C can be reached within a short time. Partially open windows make little difference. The limited air space and lack of air circulation inside the car make it impossible for the animal to release heat through panting. With prolonged heat exposure, heat death through circulatory failure can occur. Every year, around a dozen dog owners are convicted for leaving dogs in overheated cars, in some cases receiving fines of several hundred to over a thousand francs.

The correct course of action

• The following principles should always be observed during a rescue operation – ensuring that passers-by have nothing to fear from a legal standpoint: 
• If you are in a shopping centre, immediately have the car’s licence plate number announced over the intercom in order to locate the owner of the dog and the vehicle as quickly as possible.
• If the owner cannot be found, immediately alert the police and a veterinarian.
• Only break the window if the police do not arrive in time or do not arrive at all – or if you can see that an emergency situation exists.
• Warning signs include increased panting and drooling, jumping around inside the vehicle, scratching at windows and doors, loud yelping or whimpering, as well as vomiting, lethargy, apathy, and loss of consciousness.
• Place the freed dog in the shade, keep the airways and throat clear, moisten the body and legs with wet, cool cloths, and dampen the mouth cavity with cold water. Leave further treatment to the veterinarian.
• For your own protection, create a record of the course of events, confirmed by additional eyewitnesses and supplemented by mobile phone photos or videos. Pet owners who are upset about the rescue operation could demand compensation for the damaged car window.

You can help all animals and our planet with compassion. Choose empathy on your plate and in your glass. Go vegan.