Hot car awareness in Tennessee Valley

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- We are less than one week away from the official start of Summer.

Temperatures are heating up outside and in cars.

 That can be especially dangerous for children and pets.

“We do every year see at least a hand full of cases where pups have been over heated left in the car,” said Dr. Marisa Shulman, Medical Director at Riverview Animal Hospital. “It’s amazing how quickly the temperature can go up in a car even if the windows are crack the temperatures can go up really quickly.” 

 Across America, 33 people died in hot cars last year.

 The problem is especially bad in warmer states like Tennessee and Georgia.

“It is always a concern about people leaving their children unattended in cars,” said Glenn Scruggs, Executive Chief of Chattanooga Police Department. “That safety issue was brought up and we urge parents to think twice and to just all together just don’t do it as far as leaving kids unattended in cars, but especially in this warm weather.”  

Temperatures in cars can climb 20 degrees in ten minutes.

And don’t forget, dogs and cats can’t sweat to cool off.

“They can be fatal very quickly,” said Shulman. “Actually dogs can get very very sick even with the best of care and all the money in the world these guys don’t alway recover. It is that critical. Thankfully, we don’t see that many every year, any more, but I think education been a big part of that.”