IN just six minutes you could lose your best friend.
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RSPCA NSW Chief Inspector David O'Shannessy said it took dogs only six minutes to begin to experience heat stroke and their condition would deteriorate quickly if not removed from the car and treated immediately.
"We all know what it is like to jump into a car on a sweltering day," he said.
"The first thing we do is reach for the air-conditioning to cool ourselves down, yet we receive hundreds of calls regarding pets, mostly dogs, left to suffer in conditions that place them at high risk of death from heat stroke."
Recently released data shows that many people are continuing to leave their best mate in danger by leaving them unattended and in life-threatening situations.
Mr O'Shannessy said tradespeople and ute owners needed to be mindful of the dangers of leaving dogs out in the sun on the backs of open vehicles.
"Cars left stationary in the sun become ovens," he said.
"Ute trays also become extremely hot, so even those working on building sites with their dogs on the back need to pay particular attention to their animals."
This summer, as temperatures continue to soar, RSPCA NSW is calling on the public to take a pledge to never leave their animals unattended or locked in a vehicle.
It is hoped that 20,000 people will take the pledge and these statistics will finally begin to decline.