Don’t forget about your pet in the car

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With summer coming, pet owners are being reminded that it is not only stupid and cruel to leave a pet in a locked car, it’s also illegal.

A 2007 state law makes it a crime to leave an animal unattended in a vehicle under conditions -- hot or cold -- that could endanger the animal’s health.

A demonstration Tuesday at the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe showed how the temperature inside a closed vehicle can quickly reach the dangerous, even lethal, level. In one demo, the temperature shot up from 78 degrees to 110 degrees in six minutes. Within half an hour, the temperature can reach 137 degrees, as shown by the thermometer above.

A dog runs a normal temperature of 101 to 102 degrees. At 108 degrees, veterinarians say, the heart, brain, liver, kidneys and intestinal tracts begin to break down.

Puppies, larger dogs or dogs taking medication are particularly at risk, officials said.

-- Tony Perry