Teen Detects need for Pet Car Alarm

A 13 year old Canadian boy is working with local businesses and technology agencies to develop a pet car alarm. The alarm will alert pet owners to dangerous heat and humidity levels for cars. Brian Larson is trying to reduce the number of pets that suffer from heat stroke and die in cars that become too hot. Larson first had the idea two years ago when his aunt and uncle lost two Chihuahuas to heat stroke. He said the windows and vents were open, but the heat was too much.

Larson will be conducting research all summer to determine what temperature and humidity levels can reach in the interiors of cars. He will use this information to produce the prototype pet car alarm. The alarm will have two separate parts. The first part will be an electronic temperature gauge installed in the car. The second part will be a device carried on the key ring that receives signals from the electronic temperature gauge. When temperatures reach dangerous levels, the gauge will send a signal to the owner alerting them that the heat levels are increasing and may not be safe for pets. Once the research is complete, they anticipate that the prototype should take two months to build.

Hot cars and pets don’t mix, so until this product is available to the general public, here are a few things you can practice to ensure your pet’s safety this summer.

· Have extra water available

· Never leave a pet in a car unattended, even with the windows down

· If your pet is acting unusual because of the heat, get them to a vet immediately as it might be the first signs of heat stroke

· If your pet becomes overheated, get them to a cool area and wet them down with water or a cool sheet or towel