Dogs do not belong in hot cars. Let's say that again: DOGS DO NOT BELONG IN HOT CARS. Still, no matter how loud we scream this vital message, it feels like some people will never learn.
This should not have happened
And now, somebody's carelessness and ignorance have cost another innocent dog its life. What's more, this person should have known better.
Banjo, a sweet Bernese Mountain Dog, died in the back of a hot car as he returned from a walk on one of the warmest days of the year. At the time, he was under the care of a pet sitter hired to take care of Banjo while his humans were away for the weekend.
According to Banjo's distraught owner, the pet sitter took the dog out during a heatwave without permission. The sitter was hired to enter the family home at an agreed-upon time, treat Banjo to some dog-friendly ice cream, and let him out in the garden.
"I never gave permission for the sitter to take Banjo out," said Andrea Brown, Banjo's dog mum. "I have kept Bernese Mountain dogs for years. You can't take them out when it's hot like it was that day."
Keep mountain dogs out of the sun
All dogs struggle to stay cool during summer, but Bernese Mountain Dogs are particularly susceptible to hot weather.
Bred to work in Switzerland's alpine meadows and snowy mountainous regions, the Bernese has a thick double coat designed to keep in the heat.
Andrea found the sitter on a reputable agency website she'd used several times before. Andrea is appealing for information from anyone who may have seen Banjo with the sitter. It could help her figure out what really happened that day, including whether there is enough evidence to pursue criminal charges against the sitter.
