Local police dept. issues warning after dogs left in cold cars

Weather

Dedham Animal Control said they have received calls about dogs being stuck in cars while their owners shop and dine.

Dedham authorities warned pet owners against leaving their dogs inside cars during the winter months.

Dedham Animal Control wrote in a statement Tuesday that they have received calls about dogs being stuck in cold cars while their owners shop and dine.

“Please be reminded that pursuant to M.G.L. C 140 S 174f, ‘a person shall not confine an animal in a motor vehicle in a manner that could reasonably be expected to threaten the health of the animal due to exposure to extreme heat or cold,’” the statement said.

On Monday evening, two dogs were found in a car during 18 degree weather with the car engine off. The owner was shopping inside a store close by and enough time had passed for someone to call the police, according to animal control.

In another instance one week before, a dog sat in the car while their owner sat at a bar in a local establishment. It was 24 degrees outside and the dog had been in the car for at least two and a half hours, the statement said.

The manager of the establishment told the dog’s owner that, even though the owner started the car periodically, the staff was uncomfortable looking over the dog for them, according to animal control.

Dangers of leaving dogs in cold cars

While the risks for leaving pets in hot cars during the summer are well known, leaving them in cars during the winter months can also cause health and safety concerns.

Cars in the summer can trap an excessive amount of heat and act like a greenhouse — and it works similarly in the winter, too, according to the American Kennel Club. While the car can protect the animal from bitter winds and some other weather conditions, frigid temperatures can still creep in without insulation.

This can result in a dog getting hypothermia, which can lead to a host of other health events such as frostbite, brain damage, and even death, according to the AKC.

At the same time, every dog is different: their coat of fur, activity level, size, and health history factors into their tolerance of the cold. The American Veterinary Medical Association advises owners to pay attention to their dog’s comforta in the cold and act properly.

Though, it is best to leave the furry friends inside or at home, according to the AVMA.

“Some [breeds] may have more textbook ability to withstand the cold, but as a family pet, these breeds are still often not sufficiently acclimatized, or possess well-stoked internal furnaces, or have fully developed breed-depicted winter coats, to reach a level that prepares them for extreme drops in temperature,” Dedham Animal Control said in the statement.

Animal control recommends owners to leave their pets at home during the cold and “if you’re out and ‘you see something, say something’.”

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