RSPCA launches campaign to stop Australians leaving their dogs to die inside ... trends now
An animal welfare group has pleaded with Australians to wake up and stop condemning their dogs to horrible deaths and gruesome injuries by leaving them in cars on hot days.
RSPCA inspectors in South Australia were called to rescue three dogs from inside hot cars as temperatures rose into the mid-30s last weekend.
The animal welfare group has now launched a website named after the scarily fast amount of time it takes for a dog to die from heat stroke inside a hot car called 'just six minutes' to raise awareness.
Dogs become distressed with heat stroke so quickly when the air temperature inside a car rises because they don't sweat.
One estimate says that the temperature inside a car on a sunny 20 degree day can double in under 10 minutes, and rise to 60 degrees within 30 minutes.
An animal welfare group has pleaded with Australians to wake up and stop condemning their dogs to horrible deaths and gruesome injuries by leaving them in cars on hot days
RSPCA inspectors in South Australia were called to rescue three dogs from inside hot cars as temperatures rose into the mid-30s last weekend - but with the mercury climbing, this is an Australia-side problem
RSPCA South Australia chief inspector Andrea Lewis told Daily Mail Australia that a dog stuck inside a car in anything over 25 degrees, especially in direct sunlight, is at risk.
'The message is do not leave your dog in a hot car, it takes six minutes for a dog to die in a hot car,' Ms Lewis said.
'We've come across situations where owners have gotten home and put the shopping away and and forgotten the dog is in the car, then gone back later to find it dead.
'There's no intent involved, but the results of just forgetting about the dog are tragic.'
Ms Lewis said dog owners need to be better prepared with temperatures beginning to climb.
Adelaide is set to hit 35 on Saturday and Perth will reach the mid-30s next week. Sydney and Brisbane are both forecast to reach 31 on Monday.
The warnings were also extended to tradies - or anyone - who leaves their dog tethered to a ute on a hot day. The metal trays become 'like a BBQ', burning dogs' paws and bellies
Ms Lewis said the efforts many people make to keep their dogs are not enough - including leaving the window partly open
Ms Lewis described dogs dying in cars as an Australian problem, not one just linked to any state or town.
