You may as well leave your dog in an oven warning

Dogs Trust, Irelands leading dog welfare charity, is today in conjunction with AA Ireland, launching one of its most important messages this summer; leaving your dog in a parked car can prove fatal. With what appears to be the arrival of the Irish summer and temperatures set to rise this week, Dogs Trust are asking dog owners across the country to be vigilant when it comes to travelling with your dog.

Speaking about the safety risks of travelling with dogs, Kathrina Bentley from Dogs Trust Ireland said: “More and more hotels in Ireland are dog friendly these days so increasingly we’re seeing owners take their dogs away with them on domestic holidays which often means long drives up and down the country particularly during the summer season.”

The Dogs Trust summer ‘Hot Dogs’ campaign shows that despite being a nation of dog lovers, many owners are in the habit of leaving their dogs unattended in cars. AA Ireland also reveals that it attends to hundreds of dogs which have been accidentally locked in the main cabins and boots of vehicles each year leaving their owners distraught.

“What tends to happen is that owners step out of the car and leave the keys in the ignition then the dog jumps up on the central locking button.” Says AA Ireland Patrol Lar Byrne. “We’ve had emergency call outs where multiple dogs have been locked in to vehicles, I remember one where six dogs were trapped.”

By following seven essential safety tips for keeping your dog happy and healthy in the heat, you can ensure that your dog is safe on and off the road this summer: Never leave him in the car in warm weather, even if it feels cool outside.Always take the keys with you even if just running back into the house to get something.Consider using a car sunblind to provide shade and carry a ready supply of water at all timesAvoid long car journeys in hot weather, if you need to travel, avoid the heat of the day.Clip fur and apply pet sun cream to easily burned areas: nose, ears, eyelids and belly. DON'T use human sun cream - it can be toxic so visit your local pet shop and get one that is made specifically for dogs. Be extra vigilant with older and overweight dogs as they are more prone to overheating. In a real emergency wet your dog thoroughly and use a household fan to blow cool air over their head and body. Seek urgent veterinary attention. If your dog takes a dip in a lake or pool make sure you rinse him as soon afterwards as possible. Never allow your dog to drink from ponds unless the water is clear as algae in the water can produce toxins that are rapidly fatal.

Renagh Kelly, Veterinary Surgeon at Dogs Trust, explains: 'Dogs can suffer from sunburn just like us. Facing a higher risk are dogs with white or light-coloured hair, those with short or no hair at all and dogs that have lost hair through allergies or medical treatment. Remember, it is also crucially important not to leave dogs in hot cars. Many dog owners believe it is ok to leave a dog in a car if counter-measures are taken, such as parking under a tree or leaving a window open. Unfortunately, this is a myth – in reality partially lowering the window has no significant effect on the temperature inside a parked car. Just a few minutes in a hot car can prove fatal for a dog.”

If your dog shows signs of distress such as excessive panting, blueness of the tongue or collapse in the heat contact your vet. If you are present at the rescue of a dog from a hot car that is clearly in distress, seek immediate veterinary advice. Dampening the dog down with cool (but not freezing) water or cool wet towels will help to start bring down their body temperature.

Dogs Trust Ireland:

Dogs Trust currently has 208 dogs looking for their forever homes.

Dogs Trust has been working in Ireland since 2005 and its mission is to bring an end to the destruction of stray and abandoned dogs. For more information on Dogs Trust please go to www.dogstrust.ie

Dogs Trust is working towards the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction.

Dogs Trust has a non destruction policy; we never destroy a healthy dog.

The Centre is based at:

Dogs Trust Dublin Rehoming Centre Ashbourne Road Finglas

Dublin 11