Police Are Using Infrared Thermometers to Save Dogs from Hot Cars
We’ve said it a million times here at The News Wheel, but we’ll say it again: please do not leave your dogs in hot cars. Even if it’s only 70 degrees outside, the inside of your car will heat up like a greenhouse and it can quickly send your dog into a dangerous situation.
In many states, it’s actually illegal to leave your dog alone in the car. Police in New Hampshire are enforcing this policy in a new way: infrared thermometers. Newington Police Chief Michael Bilodeau said to call the police if you find a dog in a car, even if you’re not sure how long it’s been in there. “Whether the dog’s in distress or not, we’re recommending that [citizens] give the police department a call in their area,” he said. “We will come out and make that determination.”
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The United States saw a strong heat wave last month, and the Newington Police Department said they saw an increase in the number of calls for dogs left in the car. The officers were struggling with these calls, often unsure how long the dog had been in the car. However, a local Petsmart donated four infrared thermometers to the Newington Police Department to help them better protect canine citizens.
“We’d go to see the dog, determine if the dog was in distress and, based on the temperature outside, we couldn’t,” said Bliodeau. “We didn’t know what the temperature was on the inside of the vehicles.”
The infrared thermometers make the process significantly easier for officers. Instead of guessing the inside temperature, officers can point the infrared thermometers into a cracked window and get an exact internal temperature of the car. The police also plan to use these devices as evidence in court.
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Source: WMUR9
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