So far this summer, there have been cloudless skies and high temperatures for weeks. One problem that arises then is that dog owners leave the four-legged car in the car. Sometimes in hot heat.
There is something the police and animal rights organization NOAH are watching with concern. Even in low temperatures outside, the car heats up very quickly.
– If you think of leaving the dog in the car as it is now, it’s like putting the dog in an oven. Within a short time, the dog will overheat and get heat, says NOAH veterinarian and leader Siri Martinsen.
Every year, they work to inform how dangerous it can be for dogs to be locked inside cars in the summer sun.
– What shocks me is that it still happens. Every year you hear about it. It is strange to me that there is still a problem, she says.
– Why do dogs think they are always left in hot cars?
– I think it’s because people think it’s okay for a while, if you go into the store, or think it’s okay if the car is in the shade. But a few minutes quickly becomes several minutes, says Martinsen.
The police take it seriously
Saturday afternoon, it happened again. Police in the East had to go out for tips on a dog locked in a gloomy car at Østfoldbadet in Askim.
There came tips about a dog who was locked in an overheated car. Eventually, the police contacted the dog owner and rescued it.
The dog owner was then reported for violating the Animal Welfare Act.
– It is hopeless to leave the dog in the car. It can get pretty hot in there, so you shouldn’t do that, says operations manager at Eastern Police District, Tom Sandberg.
You do this
He urges people who see dogs trapped in overheated cars not to walk the dog.
– First, try to see if the owner is near the car. If not, you can call the police, Sandberg says.
If you see that the animal is in acute distress, one can go more drastically.
– For example, if it foams from the dog’s mouth, you might consider crushing the route to get the dog out. Then it must get water and cool down, says the operations manager.
Siri Martinsen in NOAH also emphasizes that one must not leave the dog in such a situation.
– You should stay at the car and follow the dog. For example, you can do a quick search of the car sign to get in touch with the owner. The most important thing is that you act, says Martinsen.
Invitation to new dog owners
Martinsen thinks this summer is extra special because there are so many new dog owners.
– It’s important to remind new dog owners not to leave a dog in a hot car. There is a lot of ignorance, she says.
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