Pet owners could face penalties for leaving animals alone in hot vehicles

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — Daytime temperatures are getting warmer, which can lead to potentially deadly consequences for pets.

This past Sunday, Wrightsville Beach police and a park ranger rescued a dog from a locked car after it was left inside with temperatures rising.

Even with all 4 windows rolled down a bit, the dog was excessively panting, according to the person who called police.

Niccole Rosin and her husband were walking nearby and saw a Good Samaritan trying to help.

Now, Rosin said she’ll be looking more closely at cars parked with their windows cracked.

“That is a sign that there may be an animal in the car,” Rosin said. “So for me, that was the eye-opening ‘ah-ha’ moment. Someone who walks the loops, rides bikes, you know, now I kind of know what to look for.”

Temperatures were in the upper 70s to low 80s on Sunday.

On Wednesday, the high was around 81, but after just 10 minutes, a thermometer placed inside a WWAY station car hit over 90 degrees.

Stephen Watson, shelter manager for the New Hanover Sheriff’s Office Animal Services Unit, said the danger is real.

“I would ask people to sit in an un-air-conditioned car with just the windows cracked for 30 minutes and see if they would do it or not,” Watson said.

Watson said dogs can suffer a fatal heat stroke in 15 minutes or less if the outside temperature is high enough.

Rosin said the dog’s owner was fined.

“I think they handled it really well. They did leave an animal cruelty ticket as well as a note letting them know who to contact to find their dog.”

If law enforcement or animal control have to enter a vehicle to rescue an animal, it’s a class 1 misdemeanor in North Carolina, punishable with a fine and even jail time.