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Indianapolis Star
7 hours ago
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
If it's hot outside, it's even hotter in your vehicle. Never leave pets or children unattended.
We're gong to see high temperatures next week in Indy and it's important to remember that if it's hot outside, it's even hotter in your vehicle. On hot summer days, always double check your backseat for passengers (whether that be pets or children), drink lots of water and be sure to watch for signs of heat cramps, exhaustion or stroke. It is never safe to leave a child, disabled person or pet locked in a car. For more information about how cars can heat up quickly when left in the sun, check the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website in both English and Spanish. While this applies all year round, it is especially important on warm or hot summer days. Every year, hundreds of pets die from heat exhaustion because they are left in parked vehicles, according to the American Veterinarian Medical Association. The temperature inside a vehicle can rise almost 20° F in just 10 minutes, and almost 30° F in 20 minutes. The longer a pet, child or person is inside a car turned off in the heat, the higher it goes. At one hour, your vehicle's inside temperature can be more than 40 degrees higher than the outside temperature. Even on a 70-degree day, that's 110 degrees inside a car. More on heat safety: How to stay safe and the signs of heat stroke, exhaustion. What to know before Indy's heat wave Indiana law states that a person who forcibly enters a vehicle to remove a domestic animal is responsible for half of the cost of repairing the vehicle damage directly caused by the person's forcible entry if certain criteria aren't met. You have to reasonably believe that the dog is in imminent danger of dying or suffering serious harm, use no more force than needed and determine that the vehicle is indeed locked so forcible entry is necessary to remove the dog. You must also call 911, and remain with the dog until law enforcement or emergency responders arrive. Rescuers are, however, immune from all other civil or criminal liability for other property damage in this case. So the owner who left their pet in the vehicle can't sue or press charges against you. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that bystanders not wait more than a few minutes for a driver to return to the car and to first assess if the child is responsive or unresponsive. You should call 911 right away and get the child out of the car if they appear to be unresponsive. Be sure to check for unlocked doors first. Once the child is freed from the vehicle, they may need to be sprayed or toweled off with cool water until emergency responders arrive. If a child is responsive, the NHTSA recommends staying with the child outside of the vehicle until law enforcement and or first responders arrive to locate the driver. Like with rescuing animals, a person who causes damage without following proper steps — calling 911, checking for unlocked doors, etc. — could be responsible for some of the repair cost.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Warning: Cats at risk for bird flu, humans could be next
CLEVELAND (WJW) — As the bird flu, aka influenza A (H5N1), continues to ravage whole chicken and some cow populations across the country, the American Veterinarian Medical Association is now issuing a warning regarding your favorite feline pets. How to help farmers during bird flu outbreak in Ohio Cats are reportedly at risk of contracting the infection, although stray cats are at a higher risk than indoor pets. The animals are especially vulnerable to bird flu as they enjoy hunting wild birds from time to time. The flu can also be contracted from eating raw pet food and drinking unpasteurized milk. Symptoms to be on the lookout for in your pet include: fever, a hard time breathing, red eyes, depression and also neurologic issues like seizures. 'Cats appear to be particularly susceptible to severe illness, often resulting in death,' the AVMA said in a statement. 'Whether infected cats can infect other cats is currently unclear; however, that possibility cannot be dismissed.' Owners are also urged to be cautious while living with a sick animal. Egg prices are surging, so why are chicken prices stable? 'The risk of cat-to-human transmission is considered extremely low, but may increase with prolonged, unprotected exposure to infected animals,' the association said. At this point there have been no reported incidents of human-to-human transmission and the World Health Organization has not listed the current outbreak as a worldwide health emergency. The Ohio Department of Health reported the state's first probable human case of the illness two weeks ago. If you're worried your pet is sick with bird flu, call your veterinarian immediately. Cat owners are asked to keep their pets away from immunocompromised people and monitor other family members for signs the illness has spread. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
