Every summer, our Inspectors respond to urgent calls about dogs trapped inside parked vehicles at shopping centers and beachfronts. Many people believe they will only be gone “for a minute”. Many believe a cracked window is enough. Many believe shade makes it safe. The truth is a parked car can quickly become a death trap.
A car heats faster than you think.
Dogs cannot cool themselves the way humans do. They rely primarily on panting to regulate body temperature. Inside a warm, enclosed vehicle, panting becomes ineffective, because the surrounding air is already hot and often stagnant.
On a warm day, a car’s interior temperature can rise to dangerously high levels of around 50 degrees celsius within minutes. Even a short stop to grab a coffee can turn into a medical emergency.
Heatstroke is a medical emergency.
In high temperatures, dogs can rapidly develop heatstroke. This is not “overheating” that resolves on its own. Heatstroke can cause brain damage, organ failure, and death.
If you have ever felt your own breathing become shallow in intense heat, imagine wearing a fur coat, unable to sweat, with nowhere to escape.
The signs of heat stress you must take seriously.
A dog in trouble may show one or more of the following:
Excessive panting
Drooling or hyperventilating
Restlessness or frantic movement
Weakness, wobbling, collapsing
Shade seeking inside the vehicle
Glazed eyes or confusion
If you see these signs, do not wait. Dogs can deteriorate quickly.
Leaving a dog in a hot car can be a crime.
Leaving an animal in conditions that cause suffering is an offence in the eyes of the law.
If a dog’s welfare is significantly impacted, the consequences can be severe and pet owners’ may find themselves facing charges for contraventions of the Animals Protection Act No. 71 of 1962.
If you are unsure, make the safer choice.
If your destination might not allow dogs, shops, restaurants, beaches, public spaces, leave your dog safely at home. A familiar room, fresh water, and cool airflow are always safer than a vehicle, even with a window slightly open.
If you see a dog in a hot car, act immediately.
Your response in the first few minutes can save a life.
Try to locate the owner immediately.
Ask nearby shops, restaurants, or security to make an announcement.
Assess the situation quickly.
Look for obvious distress. Look for any airflow or water, but do not assume the dog is safe.
Call the Cape of Good Hope SPCA Inspectorate immediately.
021 700 4158 or 021 700 4159
After hours. 083 326 1604
If the dog is in distress, also contact SAPS.
Only SAPS can legally intervene to remove an animal from a vehicle when forced entry is required.
Most people who leave dogs in cars do not intend harm. They intend convenience. Behavioural change will only happen when leaving a dog in a car becomes socially unacceptable.
A dog in a parked car is not waiting. A dog in a parked car is trapped. If you love them, don’t leave them.
Help us prevent the next emergency.
We have created downloadable resources you can use to spread the message, including a poster, flyer, and social media tiles.
We encourage:
Businesses in shopping centres to display the poster at entrances (including underground parking), tills, and customer noticeboards.
Beachfront businesses and kiosks to place notices where people pass through in peak hours.
Community groups and residents to share the social tiles online, especially on hot days and over public holidays and long weekends.
Include the SPCA Inspectorate number (0217004158/9 and 0833261604 (a/h) on your post, and you may help someone make the right choice before it becomes an emergency.
Downloadable Posters, Flyers, Social Media Tile and WhatsApp Status
Click on flyer and posters to download
Right Click on the Social Media Tiles and WhatsApp Status images and ‘Save As’ to your image folder
