Brutus, Duke, Coco, Lola and Jake are the names of 5 pets that died last year when owners left them in the car to run errands, go shopping or visit friends. The saddest part about their deaths is that they were 100% avoidable.
An independent study was recently done to prove that as a car sits outside, the temperature steadily increases and cracking the window doesn't help. Click here to see a detailed chart of the estimated temperature inside your car over time.
But the heat is not the only danger to your pet. The majority of pet owners do not properly restrain or use any form of restraint with their pets in the car. This can lead to fatalities if the vehicle must come to a sudden stop or if it is involved in a collision. Pets in the car also serve as a distraction to the driver, forcing them to take their eyes off the road. According to a 2010 American Automobile Association (AAA) survey, 2 out of 3 owners engage in distracting behaviors (playing with, feeding or petting their dog, or letting their dog sit in their lap) when pets are in the car...and according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 20% of injury crashes involve distracted driving.
Click HERE for more information on distracted driving.
Veterinarians are asking you to help keep you and your pet safe and only take your pets in the car when you absolutely must. We don't want your cat or dog's name included in our list next year.
How can you help prevent these injuries and deaths?
* Learn more about keeping your pet safe during travel
* Set a good example by leaving your pet(s) at home except when you need to have them in the vehicle
* Set a good example by always properly restraining your own pet(s) while in a vehicle
* Educate family and friends about these issues and how they can keep their pet(s) safe
