Jo Raphael: Your dog is better off at home by himself

Keep your pooch at home to avoid a hot dog, writes Jo Raphael. Photo / Getty Images

OPINION

I have a wee shadow at home.

A four-legged shadow, whose only job is to follow me around, making sure I don't accidentally drop treats or pay attention to any other household pets without his say-so.

Going against the grain of any other self-respecting canine, this shadow is not fond of car rides either.

The only time he's conveyed anywhere in the car is to Rotorua's Scion dog park, to the vet, or occasionally to the office on the weekends to supervise me working.

I almost always have the aircon blasting on hot days.

Leaving him in a parked car for long periods of time is unthinkable.

However, it saddens me that other pet parents do not have the same qualms. We reported this week more dogs are being locked in cars on hot days.

Dogs can't control their body temperature as humans can - we sweat through pores in our skin, which takes up a pretty large surface area. It doesn't take that long for us to cool down once we're hot and sweaty.

Dogs don't sweat, they pant. Tongues and the pads of their feet are really the only surfaces blood has the chance to cool off.

If the temperature rises quickly, faster than a dog can pant and cool down, it causes heat stress, which can be deadly.

We all know what it's like to get into a car on a hot day.

You're immediately enveloped by the heated air trapped inside. The metal prongs on the seatbelts are likely to give you a serious burn and if you've got leather seats - forget about it.

Imagine being a dog in that same environment.

As of October 2018, if a dog left in a vehicle becomes heat stressed, the dog owner, vehicle owner and person left in charge of the dog can each be fined $300 under the Animal Welfare (Care and Procedure) Regulations 2018.

People can also be prosecuted.

SPCA inspectorate team leader for the Bay of Plenty region Jason Blair said "at least daily we'll be receiving calls about dogs continuing to be left in hot cars in the Bay of Plenty area".

So don't feel bad about leaving your dog at home - he or she is safer there than your car.

Fido doesn't need to accompany you to the doctor.

Spot doesn't need to wait in the car while you're roaming up and down the aisles of the supermarket.

And Rover should be at home while you're having your hair and nails done.

As for the shadow, he's content to catch up on sleep and conduct perimeter patrols while I'm out.