Keep your pets safe in hot temperatures and don’t leave them alone in a car.

Even with the windows cracked open, on a 70 degree day the interior temperature can rise by 20 degrees in just 10 minutes. PAWS and More Director Amber Talbot says leaving a dog in a parked car for 10 minutes on a 90 degree day is likely deadly, “It would be fatal. I mean, a 10-minute car ride unattended, left alone would be absolutely fatal at that degree.”

If you see a vehicle in a parking lot with a dog left in it unattended, Talbot recommends notifying a store manager to page the owner of the vehicle. If that is taking too much time, then she says to call the local non-emergency number for Washington County’s safety center at 653-2107 for an officer.

Signs of heat stress in dogs includes heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid pulse, and vomiting. When trying to cool down a pet, do so gradually by putting cool towels under their legs and giving them fresh water to drink. Talbot says when the thermometer rises, the best thing to do is to leave your pets at home where it is climate controlled.