Prevent Pet Deaths in Hot Cars: Putnam SPCA

Summer’s surely here, not just because Memorial Day has passed.

So it’s time to remember: Hot cars and pets don’t mix.

Don’t leave your dog in the car, even for a moment while you run an errand. The temperature in that car—even with windows cracked open—can rise 40 or more degrees very quickly.

And the consequences are more than just the injury or death of a family friend:

• It is a crime in New York State if an animal left in a vehicle is subjected to such heat. Doing that is punishable by a fine upwards of $100 or more.
• If an animal goes into distress as a result of it being subjected to extreme temperatures in a vehicle, the owner may be arrested for animal cruelty, a Class A Misdemeanor, and face a fine upwards of $1,000 and/or jail time up to one year.

The Putnam County SPCA Humane Law Enforcement Department has begun random patrols of all shopping center parking lots within Putnam County during warm days and will continue to do so throughout the summer months as a proactive effort to prevent heat related injuries.

The public can report pets left in vehicles on warm days or any other suspected animal cruelty by calling the Putnam County SPCA at our 24 hour animal cruelty hotline at 845- 520-6915 or through our website: www.spcaputnam.org Calls can be kept confidential.

A copy of the STOP sign can be requested by interested businesses by calling the SPCA at 845-520-6915. It can also be downloaded and printed from the Putnam County SPCA’s facebook page.