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Own a pet? Never leave it alone in your car

Posted at 5:22 PM, Jul 30, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-30 18:14:50-04

Vet tech Melissa Lipman has a reminder for pet owners: don't leave your dog in the car alone. "...even an open window is still going to make this car too hot for the dog to stay in the car by himself."

She says leaving your pet in the car could have tragic consequences.

"Brain damage, their heart beats faster and then it goes the other way and then they start to decline," Lipman said.

Over the weekend a man was cited at the Palm Beach Outlets for leaving his dog in a van for about 40 minutes.

Although he left the window partially open and water for the dog, the temperature in the vehicle was high.

"It is against the law in Palm Beach County to leave your dog or any pet unattended whether it is 40 degrees or 100 degrees," said Elizabeth Harfmann with Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control.

She says you cannot leave your dog alone in your car, even if the air conditioner is running.

"You never know what can happen your car could shut off anything can happen in a matter of minutes," Harfmann adds.

Pet owners like Holly Montes agree: "They love you to death and it's just not the right thing to do. They can die quickly, easily and it's not fair, not fair to do that."