PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: David Barry once said, “Dogs feel very strongly that they should always go with you in the car, in case the need should arise for them to bark violently at nothing right in your ear.”

While I do not know David, I certainly agree many pets, especially dogs, love to go for trips in the car. Fun loving as it may sound, during Maine’s hot summers, it might be better to leave our furry friends at home.

Some estimates put the number of dogs that die each year from being left in a hot car in the thousands. I would venture to say that the vast majority of these tragedies were unintended. The sad part of the story is every single animal death was preventable … if only pet owners would think ahead.

According to one online source, on a day when it’s about 70 degrees, the temperature inside a parked car can rise 40 degrees in an hour — mostly during the first 30 minutes. And it may not matter if the windows are cracked or the car is in the shade. Another source reports that on an 85- degree day, the dashboard can heat up to 170 degrees in a mere 15 minutes.

People often use themselves as the litmus test: I could sit in the car for 10 or 15 minutes while my friend runs into the store, so it should be OK for my pet, too. But dogs do not perspire like humans — which is one of the reasons why they can succumb to heatstroke in a matter of minutes.

One animal welfare expert explains why: Dogs cool themselves by panting and by sweating through their paws. If they have only overheated air to breathe, animals can collapse, suffer brain damage and possibly die of heatstroke. Just 15 minutes can be enough for an animal’s body temperature to climb from a normal 102.5 to deadly levels that will damage the nervous and cardiovascular systems, often leaving the animal comatose, dehydrated and at risk of permanent impairment or death.

In addition, pets confined to a space where the surrounding temperature and humidity are above tolerable levels will begin to acquire heat from the environment faster than they can dissipate that heat. Trapped pets will get dehydrated and their blood thickens to the point that the heart is severely stressed. The result is stagnation of blood, blood clotting and eventually cell death. The dying cells give off chemicals that further damage surrounding tissues and a point is reached beyond which recovery is impossible. Simply put, no matter what life saving measures are employed or medications are administered, death will result.

So a little advice for well-meaning pet owners this summer: if it is hot and humid outside and you really love your pet, leave it at home. While you may think your furry friend is better off doing errands with you, it isn’t worth the quick stop at the coffee shop turning deadly because you get a phone call or are inadvertently stuck in line.

Please, don’t become your “best friend’s” worst enemy.

UPCOMING EVENTS: “How to REALLY Get LinkedIn” is presented by Jim Bouchard (Think Like a Black Belt), who built and continues to expand his speaking business using social media. The Business Success seminar is July 24, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Topsham Public Library. Bring your laptop or tablet with wireless connectivity.

Coastal Performance Training Center, 14 Thomas Point Road, Brunswick, hosts the July 24 Chamber After Hours from 5 to 7 p.m. This is the place to be for regional business networking and to tour this amazing, state-of-the-art center. Refreshments are provided by several local restaurants, including cash bar. Stay for the grand opening, 7 to 10 p.m., featuring the Nikki Hunt Band and a live remote by 92 Moose. The event is free to attend and registration is requested.

Please go to the chamber’s website (www.midcoastmaine.com), scrolling the calendar to register for all of these events. For some, seating is limited. Don’t miss out.

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS: The chamber welcomes Fresh Harvest In a Jar, a Topsham based company that produces and sells jams, jellies, butters, curds and chutneys, to its membership. Discover more about chamber members at www.midcoastmaine.com or download MyChamberApp for use on your mobile phone or tablet.

The chamber proudly serves 760 businesses and organizations in the following communities: Arrowsic, Bath, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brunswick, Dresden, Edgecomb, Georgetown, Harpswell, Phippsburg, Richmond, Topsham, West Bath, Westport Island, Wiscasset and Woolwich.

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