Every year, hundreds of pets die from heat exhaustion because their owners leave them in parked vehicles. Most people don't realize that the temperature inside your vehicle can rise by nearly 20° in just 10 minutes while parked in sunlight.

By 20 minutes, internal temperatures can rise by almost 30°. By 60 minutes, the temperature inside your car can rise 40° higher than outside temperatures. So, even if it's a beautiful 70° day, it can get 110 degrees inside your vehicle!

If you're thinking about leaving your pet in your vehicle while you run errands, know that the inside of your vehicle can quickly reach deadly temperatures, putting your pet at risk for heatstroke or death.

Unfortunately, research shows that cracking the windows doesn't make this practice any less dangerous. A study conducted by the Department of Geosciences, San Francisco State University found that cracking the windows had little effect on the temperature inside a vehicle.

Please, leave your pet at home unless you plan on bringing them with you when you arrive at your destination. If you're going someplace where pets aren't welcome, they'll be safer if you leave them home, and happily waiting for you when you return.

Tips for a Safe Car Ride

The dangers of car rides doesn't stop at heatstroke. A small dog or cat sitting on your lap could cause an accident by distracting you. Not only that, but they're likely to be seriously injured or killed if you are in a collision. Small animals can also crawl down in the foot well, getting in the way of the brake or accelerator.

Here's what you can do:

• Get a harness that connects to your vehicles seatbelts.
• Bring your small furry friend along in a crate and secure it down.
• If you can't bring a dog indoors, leave it tied outside where you can see it.

Before you bring your pet along for the ride, ask yourself if you really need to bring them with you. If not, you should consider leaving your pet home. While having our pets with us around town is always fun, for their safety, it's best to let them to the home if they're not able to be with you at all times.