CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – With recent temperatures in Central Illinois dipping slightly below the summer peak, local authorities in Champaign and Vermilion counties are reminding pet owners that cooler weather doesn’t make it safe to leave animals in parked vehicles.
“People think that if it’s 75 or even 70 degrees out, cracking the window makes it safe. It doesn’t,” according to the Centers for Disease Control. “The temperature inside a parked car can jump 20 to 30 degrees in just 10 minutes—even on a partly cloudy day.”
The warning comes after animal control in Vermilion County responded to multiple reports of dogs left unattended in vehicles over the past week. In one case, a dog was found panting and distressed after being left in a car for 15 minutes while its owner ran errands.
Veterinarians emphasize that dogs are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illness because they don’t cool down like humans. Heatstroke can set in quickly and lead to irreversible organ damage or death.
A car acts like a greenhouse, trapping heat and humidity. Even with windows cracked, the interior becomes dangerously hot in a matter of minutes—regardless of outside air temperature.
Leaving a dog in a vehicle under such conditions is not only dangerous—it’s illegal. Illinois law allows law enforcement or first responders to remove an animal from a vehicle if its health appears to be at risk.
Residents who see a pet in distress in a vehicle are encouraged to call 911 or their local animal control agency immediately.
This reminder to keep your pets safe has been brought to you by pdrauto.com, Curtis Road Animal Hospital, and 217 Inc.