Leaving a child or a pet in the car might seem harmless for a few minutes, but it can be extremely dangerous.
"Even short amount of times, 10 minutes... 15 minutes, in a hot car can render someone who is healthy, medically debilitated from the heat inside the vehicle," says Dr. Greg Fuller, an emergency physician at Sparrow hospital.
The temperature of the car can skyrocket even in a short period of time, raising up to 170 degrees in an hour on an 80 degree day. That can lead to some severe health complications like dehydration, heat exhaustion, and even heat stroke.
Thirteen children have been lost to heat stroke from being in hot cars already this year, according to San Jose State University.
But pets can also go into heat stroke. The Lansing Veterinary Medical Center says around 106 to 108 degrees can cause a dog to have a heat stroke. They say that if you see a pet in a car that is unresponsive to call 9-1-1 immediately.
But doctors and vets alike advise against ever leaving a pet or family member in a car at all.
