Critters get hot too A PSA for pet owners: Practice basic summer safety NEVER LEAVE YOUR PETS IN A PARKED CAR Not even for a minute! Not even with the car running and air conditioner on. On a warm day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly to dangerous levels. On an 85-degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. Your pet may suffer irreversible organ damage or die. Learn how to help a pet left inside a hot car by taking action or calling for help. Local law enforcement can follow this handy guide [PDF] on how to proceed. Print our hot car flyer and spread the lifesaving word. Download the PDF Watch the humidity “High humidity amplifies the negative impact of high temperature on your pet—and in combination, these factors magnify the danger zone,” says Dr. Barbara Hodges, DVM, MBA, of the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. “When animals pant, moisture from their lungs evaporates and helps reduce their body heat. But high humidity conditions hamper that process and their ability to cool themselves, and their body temperature can skyrocket—rapidly—to dangerous, or even lethal, levels.” Taking a dog’s temperature will quickly tell you if there is a serious problem. Dogs’ temperatures should not reach over 104 degrees. If your dog’s temperature does, follow the instructions below for treating heat stroke. Pet Cooling Items on Amazon.com Limit exercise on hot days Take care when exercising…