EFFINGHAM, Ga. (WTOC) – Summer has officially kicked off and local law enforcement is issuing a stern warning about leaving pets in cars and just how hot it can get after a few short minutes.
WTOC spoke with Effingham County Humane Enforcement after deputies arrested a woman last week for doing just that.
“When we responded to this incident, I felt inside the vehicle, and I could tell immediately that the vehicle was hotter inside than it was outside. I mean, it could have reached up to 15 to 40 degrees higher than what it is. It just depends on how long it’s been sitting in the sun. This vehicle happened to be sitting in full sun. There was no shade. There was nowhere the dog could get out of that situation. It actually was leashed and tied up to the gear shift. So the dog couldn’t move around as much,” said Sergeant Leslie Cash with the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office Humane Enforcement Unit.
For example, if it’s 95 degrees outside, after 10 minutes it’s 114 degrees, after 30 minutes it gets to 130 degrees inside a car, and after an hour, nearly 140 degrees…