Tragedies like the death of a Mills police officer's K9 dog left in a hot patrol car in July can be prevented, according to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Elizabeth Overcash, evidence analyst for PETA, says her organizations receives several similar reports a year of K9 dogs dying.

The conditions the K9, Nyx, suffered and died from can happen to any dog or cat trapped in a vehicle, Overcash said.

"People just don't seem to realize how hot a car actually gets," Overcash said. "On a 78-degree day, the temperature can get up to 100 or 120 in a parked car. On a 90-degree day, the temperature can reach 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes."

If you happen to come upon a dog left in a hot car, Overcash urges passers-by to get the license plate and make model. If you're in a store parking lot, ask the store staff to page the car's owner. If no other help is available, she urges you to call the police.

"In just a matter of a few minutes, a dog can suffer heat stroke, or even die," she said.

PETA also recommends to move an animal to shade if it shows any symptoms of heatstroke including restlessness, heavy panting, vomiting, lethargy, and lack of appetite or coordination.

Lower the body temperature of a animal's body by providing it with water, applying a cold towel to its head and chest, or immersing it in tepid (not ice-cold) water. Then immediately call a veterinarian.

PETA and Overcash offer these other suggestions:

  • Keep dogs indoors: Unlike humans that sweat through their skins, dogs can only sweat through their footpads and cool themselves by panting. Soaring temperatures can cause heat stress, injury, or death.
  • Provide water and shade: If animals must be left outside, they should have ample water and shade. Keep them out of direct sun can have life-threatening consequences.
  • Walk -- don't run: Exercise with your dog in the cooler temperatures of morning or evening. Don't force exercise on dogs by cycling or running while they try to keep up. Dogs will collapse before giving up.
  • Never transport animals in the bed of a pickup truck: This practice is dangerous because animals can catapult out of a truck bed on a sudden stop or choke if they jump out while they're tied up.

However, Overcash acknowledges that many people in Wyoming have their dogs accompany them for hunting, hiking and other outdoor recreational activities; use them for work on ranches and farms; and have them for protection on their property.

""That's certainly fine, you just have to be aware of the weather," she said.

"Once you are done with those activities, if you're going to treat them like family you've got to bring them indoors," Overcash said. "You wouldn't leave your child out overnight."

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