What happens when you leave your pet inside the car for too long

Leaving your pets inside the car for too long can be harmful. In fact, there are a few things that can happen to your pet if you leave them unattended inside your car. That said, here’s a guide that can help you understand this practice and identify the do’s and don’ts if ever you really need to leave your pet inside your vehicle.

While you can still leave your pet inside the car, there is a certain timeline that you must follow. So how exactly long is too long? Well, some experts claim that you can leave your furry companion inside your vehicle for up to 10 minutes. If it takes longer than usual and the temperature starts to rise, then that could put your pet at some serious risk. 

Take dogs as an example, these furry mammals can’t release heat unlike us humans who are able to sweat when exposed to high temperatures. Granted that we live in a tropical country, the Philippines does not experience extremely cold weather unlike in countries with more temperate climates. Then again, like heat, cold also serves as a threat to animals. With all that said, it is indeed better to leave your pet at home if you can. 

While the Philippines does not have any rules concerning this practice, other countries have a take on this. Almost half of the states in the US have a rule for animals left in parked vehicles, this is to raise awareness that this kind of practice is indeed dangerous and can have negative effects on your pet.

The cool temperature outside doesn’t serve as a good sign for you to leave your dog inside your car, as your car’s interior temperature could rise as time goes by even under overcast skies. That said, here are some of the possible effects that can happen to your pet when you leave them inside your car for too long.

• Your pet could possibly pee or poop if not properly trained - dogs are very territorial, plus, leaving them inside the car for too long would probably give them the opportunity to pee or maybe poop especially if you haven’t trained them well just yet.
• Heatstroke and brain damage - this is one of the possible effects your dog or cat may experience after being left inside the car for too long given the fluctuating temperature in the cabin. Just because it's warm outside doesn't mean it’s already safe to leave your furry friends unattended. Do take note that a pet is more susceptible to heatstroke and brain damage than human beings, so you better think twice before leaving them inside a parked car.
• Death - Worst case scenario is that your pet can even die as it suffers from heatstroke or brain damage.

Now, if you really need to get out of the car for a couple of minutes, just make sure to follow these tips and tricks in order to keep your furry companion safe inside the car.

• Park your car in the shade
• Leave your air conditioning system on
• Use your reflective window shades
• Leave a bowl of water for your pet
• Of course, if it’s possible, keep your stop to 10 minutes or less