About two dozen businesses in the Forest Lake, Minnesota area have joined in a community awareness program to alert the local public of the danger of leaving cats and other animals in vehicles during hot weather.
The educational program was started by Northwoods Humane Society volunteer Molly Nemec. Working in partnership with area stores and shopping areas, Nemec has encouraged many of them to put up signs in their parking lots warning people about leaving animals in vehicles.
The metal signs carry the words Warning - heat kills pets left in parked vehicles.
Minnesota Animal Welfare statutes specify that animals must be sheltered from heat and cold. Even with the vehicle windows open, the temperature inside a car on an 85-degree day can reach 110 degrees in 15 minutes and upward of 120 degrees in 30 minutes.
Since pets don't perspire as people do, being left in a hot vehicle is especially dangerous for them: Cats and dogs cool off by panting and a closed car interferes with the animals normal cooling process, since with only very little air to breathe, pets could die or suffer brain damage.
Posted: August 07, 2006, 5 a.m. EST