Vets warn about impact of extended heat on pets

Cases of pets being left in hot cars have been popping up in Wake County during this intense heat. Officials are warning people about the dangers. WRAL's Kelsey Coffey is live to explain just how quickly the heat can turn deadly inside a parked car.
Posted 7/30/2025, 9:24:43 AM Updated 7/30/2025, 10:00:10 AM

WRAL NEWS. WE'RE LIVE IN

RALEIGH.

CASES OF PETS BEING LEFT IN

HOT CARS HAVE BEEN POPPING UP

IN WAKE COUNTY DURING THIS

INTENSE HEAT. OFFICIALS ARE

WARNING PEOPLE ABOUT THE

DANGERS.

>> WR IS CALLED THE COFFEE IS

LIVE TO EXPLAIN JUST HOW

QUICKLY THE HEAT CAN TURN

DEADLY INSIDE A PARKED CAR.

KELSEY, GOOD MORNING.

YESTERDAY. GOOD MORNING.

THIS MORNING MARKS THE 6 WRAL

WEATHER ALERT DAY IN A ROW

BECAUSE OF THIS INTENSE HEAT.

>> WE SPOKE WITH THE DIRECTOR

OF WAKE COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES

DR. JENNIFER FEDERICO. AND SHE

SAYS THAT THEY'VE SEEN A FEW

CASES HERE AT WAKE COUNTY

ANIMAL SERVICES AS WELL AS AT

CARY ANIMAL CONTROL OF DOGS

BEING LEFT IN HOT CARS. DOCTOR

FEDERICO SAYS PUPPIES, OLDER

DOGS AND SHORT KNOWS DOGS LIKE

PODS AND FRENCH BULLDOGS ARE

MOST AT RISK FOR HEAT STROKE.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE SIGNS

THAT YOUR PET MAY BE

EXPERIENCING. HEAT STRESS.

THEY BECOME LETHARGIC. THEY

CAN'T MORE THAN NORMAL OR THEY

VOMIT. IF YOUR PET IS HAVING

A HEAT STROKE, TAKE THEM TO THE

EMERGENCY CLINIC IMMEDIATELY.

>> IF IT'S OVER 70 DEGREES,

THEY SHOULD BE LEFT IN THEIR

CAR.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN 70 AND I CAN'T

REMEMBER SO.

DON'T DON'T TAKE YOUR PETS WITH

YOU. I DON'T CARE IF THEY HAVE

WATER IN THE CAR. IT'S JUST

TOO HIGH.

>> NOW THERE ARE SOME WAYS TO

KEEP YOUR DOGS COOL. IF YOU

WANT TO TAKE THEM OUT FOR A

WALK, YOU CAN WALK IN A SHADY

GRASSY AREA, MAKE SURE THAT YOU

AVOID ANY ASPHALT. AND IT'S

ALSO BEST TO WALK THEM EARLY

IN THE MORNING OR IN THE

EVENING TO AVOID THE WORST OF