Berkeley Humane Reminds Bay Area It’s Not Safe—and Illegal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 26, 2020

Contact: Morgan Pulleyblank
Director of Development & Communications
mpulleyblank@berkeleyhumane.org

Berkeley, Calif – The current Bay Area heat wave is putting pets at risk. This summer Berkeley Humane is reminding people to avoid a terrible tragedy and never leave your pet alone in a parked vehicle.

TWEET THIS: Don’t leave your pets in a hot car—it’s dangerous and illegal!

Every summer, as temperature rises, so does the danger of pets dying because they are carelessly left in a hot car. Parked cars quickly trap the sun’s heat. On a moderate day when it is 70 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car with all the windows closed can hit 89 degrees in just 10 minutes.

Even if it’s just for a moment, and even if the windows are cracked, it is never safe to leave an animal in a parked vehicle alone. Not only can leaving an animal in a hot car lead to fatal heat stroke, it is illegal in California.

“Even on a warm day the inside of your car can quickly exceed a safe temperature, stated Jeffrey Zerwekh, Executive Director of Berkeley Humane. “People think that there okay because they leave windows partially open, but your pet can quickly suffer brain damage or die from heatstroke or suffocation.”

In California it is against the law to leave an animal in any unattended motor vehicle under conditions that endanger the health or well-being of an animal due to heat or other circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause suffering, disability, or death to the animal.

That same law authorizes a Good Samaritan to free an animal from imminent danger if they also call 911 and stay with the animal. 

For more tips about how to keep your pet cool this summer, visit berkeleyhumane.org.

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About Berkeley Humane

With its origins dating back to 1895, today Berkeley Humane serves the people and animals of our community by providing life-saving programs for cats and dogs, cultivating compassion, and strengthening the human-animal bond. With the support of a dedicated and talented volunteer and staff team, Berkeley Humane intakes animals from municipals shelters around the Bay Area who are often in need of medical care, improved nutrition, enrichment and lots of love. In 2018, Berkeley Humane conducted over 1,200 adoptions and touched the lives of an additional 1,000 additional pets through related services. Learn more at www.berkeleyhumane.org.