Categories: Safety

Is it ok to leave your dog in the car in Phoenix, AZ in January or February?

A woman with a dog

Reasons why you should never leave your pet in an unattended vehicle

Is it ok to leave your dog in the car in Phoenix, AZ in January or February? Our short answer is no, you should never leave a pet unattended in a vehicle. Keep reading below for more information on why you shouldn’t leave your dog in your car in Phoenix, even in the winter. You can find Mercedes-Benz of Arrowhead in Peoria, AZ.

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What is the law regarding leaving animals in a vehicle in Phoenix, AZ?

If you’re wondering whether it is legal to leave your dog in a car in Phoenix, the answer is probably not. The law prohibits leaving a pet in a vehicle where the animal is likely to be harmed, usually by the temperature of the vehicle. The law also provides that someone else can use force to enter a locked vehicle to rescue your pet, as long as the pet is in danger and the authorities are notified.

What is a safe temperature to leave your animal in a car?

We’d argue that there isn’t a safe temperature for leaving your animal in the car. While 70 degrees feels harmless; a car will heat up much hotter than the exterior temperature, because the metal of your vehicle will heat up, baking the air inside. This is why your seats and seatbelts feel much hotter than the outside temperature. Furthermore, you might think that you will only be gone for ten minutes, but we often lose track of time or get held up longer than we plan.

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Three reasons to not leave your dog in a vehicle in the winter

To summarize what we’ve talked about, we’ll end with the top three reasons not to leave your dog alone. Ultimately, we recommend leaving your dog at home or taking him or her out of the car when you exit. Here is why.

People passing by are legally allowed to break into your car if they suspect harm to your dog, even if they damage your vehicle to do so.
Temperatures in your car can far exceed the temperature winter weather that you’re enjoying outside, even with the windows down.
Dogs can act unexpectedly in stressful situations, accidentally changing vehicle settings, leaning on the horn, or even rolling down car windows.

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