RSPCA Shares Terrifying Reality Of What It's Like To Be A Dog In A Car On A Hot Day

Most dog lovers will be aware of not leaving your pet in a car when it's a hot day.

The poor pups can quickly become dehydrated or suffer from heatstroke, even if the windows are left open.

In the worst cases, your dog can die.

Chris O'Brien of RSPCA Cymru took a video of himself sitting in his car for 25 minutes outside his Cardiff office to discover what it would feel like to be a dog.

The staff member used a digital thermometer and stopwatch to highlight the different stages of conditions within the car and also how he personally felt.

Within five minutes, the temperature had already risen to 35.1C from an initial 23.3C.

Chris said: "I am baking, it is so, so hot in here. I can't even begin to tell you.

"Obviously I'm sweating a lot.

"Dogs obviously sweat very differently to humans and regulate their body temperature in a very very different way."

Within the next 10 minutes, the temperature within the car had rocketed up to 43.6C and a struggling Chris noted how his breathing was getting heavier and his heart was beating faster.

At the 15 minute mark, the temperature had doubled to a whopping 48.8C to a further 50C by 17 minutes.

Chris added: Everything in the car is absolutely boiling. I cannot imagine how a dog would feel."

25 minutes in, the temperature hit an unfathomable 57.1C.

"I cannot believe the impact this has had in such a short space of time," Chris explained. "This is so dangerous. Never leave a dog in a hot car."

RSPCA campaigns manager Carrie Stones said: "With normality returning to people's lives this summer in Wales, it's more important than ever that we spread the word - dogs die in hot cars. Up to 30 million Brits are expected to holiday in the UK in 2022, and many of us will be taking our four-legged friends along - so these reminders will be vital.

"Awareness raising measures like this from the Welsh Government will help save the lives of dogs. We welcome any steps to remind motorists that - not long is too long when a dog is left in a car. Even a quick stop-off at a shop could prove fatal as temperatures escalate.

"If anyone sees a dog in distress in a hot car, they should dial 999 immediately - but we hope, each year, more and more people will get the message about not exposing their dogs to the potentially fatal heat."