Last updated on July 21, 2026:

The number of dogs and other companion animals who have reportedly died from heat-related causes in 2026:

59

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Every year, PETA receives reports about dogs, cats, and other animals who have died after being left in hot cars or outside during hot weather. In 2025 alone, 151 animals endured heat–related deaths and another 365 were rescued from the heat—and those are just the ones that were reported. Most almost certainly aren’t.


Year	Deaths	Deaths	Rescues	Rescues
2026	59	See the list.	348	See the list.
2025	151	See the list.	365	See the list.
2024	113	See the list.	388	See the list.
2023	163	See the list.	855	See the list.
2022	58	See the list.	490	See the list.
2021	60	See the list.	145	See the list.
2020	32	See the list.	50	See the list.
2019	53	See the list.	125	See the list.
2018	60	See the list.	93	See the list.

How to Keep Your Animal Companion Safe in Hot Weather

The following list is a compilation of heat-related deaths of companion animals reported in 2026:

Date	Location	Number of Dogs or Other Animals Who Died	Notes
7/6/2026	Detroit, Michigan	2	Two dogs died from heat-related causes after being left chained outside in separate incidents. One dog had no access to water, and the other is believed to have died from the extreme heat after his chain became tangled in a lawnmower. One dog was rescued.
7/3/2026	Kane County, Utah	1	A Great Pyrenees became overheated while on a hike. Their guardian called for help, but the dog died from extreme heat.
7/3/2026	Cicero, Indiana	2	Two dogs were found dead after being left in a hot car outside of a restaurant for an hour.
7/2/2026	Schenectady, New York	1	An equipment failure led to the hot-car death of K9 Leonidas.
7/2/2026	Richland County, Ohio	5	Several incidents led to the deaths of dogs left unprotected from the heat. One dog was rescued.
7/1/2026	Warren, Ohio	1	A dog was found dead outside without shade or water with a body temperature that maxed out the thermometer.
7/1/2026	Indianapolis, Indiana	1	A dog died from heat stress after being placed outside during a routine kennel cleaning.
6/28/2026	Niles, Ohio	1	A dog collapsed and died from heat stroke after stumbling into someone’s yard with a 108 degree body temperature.
6/26/2026	Hillsborough County, Florida	3	Three dogs have died in three separate incidents after being left outside in extreme heat.
6/23/2026	Genoa City, Wisconsin	4	Four cats died after being left in a hot van with no food or water.
6/20/2026	Golden Valley, Arizona	4	Officials responded to a report of a truck sitting in the sun with cat cages in the back and discovered 16 cats and 5 rattlesnakes. 1 cat and 3 snakes had died from the heat.
6/18/2026	San Antonio, Texas	1	A dog died after being left in a hot car in a Walmart parking lot for an hour.
6/18/2026	Phoenix, Arizona	1	A K9 dog was found in heat distress at a jail and soon died. No other details were provided.
6/17/2026	Edwardsville, Illinois	1	One puppy died when 16 dogs were left in the back of a car for too long by a city employee who had removed them from a home.
6/16/2026	Tampa, Florida	1	A dog who was rescued from a crate in nearly 100-degree weather later died from heat distress.
6/15/2026	Brevard County, Florida	3	Three dogs were found dead in a hot trailer after their guardian’s death left them in the care of a man who never came to check on them.
6/14/2026	Woodburn, Oregon	1	Two humans visiting a bar left a dog in their truck, leading to the dog’s death. They then dumped the dog’s body behind the bar.
6/13/2026	Ennis, Texas	1	A K9 dog was left in a cop car overnight and was found dead from heat the next afternoon.
6/11/2026	Lititz, Pennsylvania	1	A dog used by a school facility died after being left in a hot car.
6/10/2026	Monroe, Michigan	1	A dog was found dead in a hot car after having been left there unattended.
6/10/2026	Washington Park, Illinois	1	Police called to investigate a dog being dragged by a car found the dog in distress on the side of the road. He was later euthanized and an autopsy revealed that heat-distress may have been the main cause of his deteriorating health.
6/8/2026	Elmira, New York	1	A dog died after being forgotten in an Elmira Animal Control vehicle on a hot day.
6/2/2026	Portage, Wisconsin	1	A dog was found dead wrapped in a blanket in a hot car.
5/31/2026	Springfield, Illinois	1	A dog was found dead in a hot car with a body temperature of 107 degrees. Their owner had admitted to falling asleep without setting an alarm.
5/29/2026	Salem County, New Jersey	2	Two K-9s died after being left in a hot car outside a courthouse for 7 hours. The vehicle was not running, the windows were closed, and the K-9 heat alarm was not activated.
5/29/2026	Pennington Gap, Virginia	1	Charges have been filed after a dog was found dead in a hot car in the parking lot of a grocery store.
5/26/2026	Nashville, Tennessee	1	A dog died after being left wrapped in a blanket in a hot car with the door ajar. Another dog was rescued from the scene.
5/20/2026	Long Beach, New York	1	A dog was found dead in a hot car. Authorities had been notified of the same dog being left in the same car in two separate incidents earlier this month.
5/18/2026	Youngstown, Ohio	2	Two dogs died of heat stroke in separate incidents in different parts of the city. Temperatures were over 90 degrees.
5/10/2026	Corcoran, California	1	A dog was found dead after being left outside in extreme heat and shot with a BB gun.
5/9/2026	East El Paso County, Texas	1	Two dogs were left in a hot car for approximately one hour without adequate ventilation or protection from the heat. Officers attempted to give CPR to one of the dogs, but the 2-year-old French Bulldog died. The other dog, a 5-year-old Lhasa Apso was rescued.
4/15/2026	Culpeper, Virginia	1	A dog died after being left inside a hot car.
4/14/2026	Coventry, Connecticut	6	Six dogs died after having been left in a shed for over 12 hours with no food or water. One dog survived.
4/13/2026	Myrtle Beach, South Carolina	1	A dog died after being left in a parked car, with the windows partially open. When police arrived, the large-breed dog was unresponsive, lethargic, and struggling to breathe. The dog was taken to an animal hospital but died from heat exhaustion.
4/6/2026	Deland, Florida	2	Two dogs died from heatstroke after being left inside a hot car in a Walmart parking lot for over two hours. Police found one dog panting, and another lying down, dead. The other dog died during transport to the vet. The dog’s internal temperature was 109 degrees.

The following list is a compilation of heat-related rescues of companion animals reported in 2026:

Date	Location	Number of Dogs or Other Animals Rescued	Notes
7/17/2026	Murray County, Oklahoma	1	A dog was rescued after being left in a hot car while temperatures reached 90 degrees.
7/14/2026	Holyoke, Massachusetts	2	Two dogs were rescued from heat-related incidents on an 81-degree day. Police found a pitbull who had been tied to a fence for several hours. They then noticed a puppy in distress in an unrelated vehicle, which also had a loaded gun and drugs inside.
7/12/2026	Bay County, Florida	1	A miniature schnauzer was left in a hot car while his owner was at the beach. The dog was lethargic, panting heavily, and had vomited. There was no food or water in the car. It was 84 degrees outside at the time of rescue, and estimated to be 118 degrees in the car.
7/12/2026	Lilburn, Georgia	13	Police have reported writing 13 citations since May 1 for dogs left unattended in hot cars.
7/12/2026	Lilburn, Georgia	1	A dog was rescued after being left in a hot car in a Walmart parking lot for roughly 15 minutes. The dog was barking at the time of rescue. It was 70 degrees outside.
7/10/2026	Knoxville, Tennessee		Young-Williams Animal Center received 54 calls in one month about dogs left in hot cars.
7/9/2026	Candler County, Georgia	23	23 dogs were rescued by the Atlanta Humane Society after being left in the heat with little protection from the elements.
7/8/2026	Brevard County, Florida		Multiple kittens suffering from life-threatening heat exhaustion were rescued after being abandoned outside an animal shelter that was closed for lunch. One kitten, who was estimated to be two weeks old, was left in a cat carrier on the hot pavement. The others were left at the door in a plastic container with no air circulation.
7/6/2026	Detroit, Michigan	1	Two dogs died from heat-related causes after being left chained outside in separate incidents. One dog had no access to water, and the other is believed to have died from the extreme heat after his chain became tangled in a lawnmower. One dog was rescued.
7/5/2026	Petaluma, California	1	A dog named Benny was rescued from a hot car with the windows partially rolled down. It was 74 degrees outside, but temperatures inside the car reached 95 degrees.
7/4/2026	Lexington, Kentucky	1	A dog was rescued from a so-called rescue where they had been left outside in the heat.
7/4/2026	Centerville, Ohio	3	Three cats were rescued from a car engine after a two hour drive on one of the hottest days of the year.
7/3/2026	Roanoke , Virginia	2	Two dogs that were experiencing a medical emergency were rescued from a hot car.
7/3/2026	Evansville, Indi a na	1	A Walmart employee found a dog suffering from heat distress in a hot car.
7/2/2026	Richland County, Ohio	1	Several incidents led to the deaths of dogs left unprotected from the heat. One dog was rescued.
7/2/2026	Cameron, Missouri	1	A dog was rescued from a hot car in a Walmart parking lot on a 91-degree day.
7/2/2026	Eatontown, New Jersey	2	Two dogs were rescued where they had been tied to a bench on one of the hottest weeks of the year.
7/2/2026	Key Largo, Florida	1	A dog was rescued after being left in a hot car with no food or water.
7/1/2026	Dedham, Massachusetts	3	Animal control rescued dogs from two heat-related incidents. Two dogs were rescued from a hot car outside of a store. Another dog was rescued after being found outside in extreme heat, with no shade or water, while their guardian was at work.
7/1/2026	Boardman , Ohio	3	Two dogs were removed from an SUV in a Walmart parking lot, and another dog was rescued from a hot car nearby.
7/1/2026	Marion, Indiana	1	A dog was rescued from a hot car in a Walmart parking lot during an extreme heat warning.
7/1/2026	Detroit, Michigan	8	Seven puppies and their mother were rescued from a backyard as extreme heat was setting in.
6/30/2026	Cleveland, Ohio	10	Eight kittens, a cat, and a dog who was doused in gasoline were rescued after being found on a porch. It was in the upper 90s outside.
6/30/2026	St Louis, Missouri	1	Firefighters rescued a barking dog from a hot vehicle that had its windows shut.
6/29/2026	Liberty Township, Ohio	4	Four dogs were rescued from a hot car in a Walmart parking lot. Their owners were charged for animal cruelty and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle.
6/29/2026	Kennesaw, Georgia	1	A dog was rescued from a 148-degree car in a mall parking lot.
6/29/2026	Green Valley, Arizona	2	Two dogs were rescued from a hot car were they had been left with the windows rolled up.
6/28/2026	Solon, Ohio	2	Two dogs were rescued from the back of a car where they were panting heavily while their owner went to a baseball game.
6/26/2026	Moab, Utah	1	An elderly dog was rescued from a canyon where they had been lost for days in the heat.
6/25/2026	Evansville, Indiana	1	A dog was rescued from a car that was 122 degree inside.
6/22/2026	Citrus County, Florida	1	A large dog was rescued after they overheated during a hike. Animal control officers hiked into the woods and transported the dog for veterinary care.
6/20/2026	Golden Valley, Arizona	17	Officials responded to a report of a truck sitting in the sun with cat cages in the back and discovered 16 cats and 5 rattlesnakes. 1 cat and 3 snakes had died from the heat.
6/20/2026	Spring Hill, Tennessee	1	First responders used a tool called “the Big Easy” to unlock a hot car and rescue a dog.
6/19/2026	Tonopah, Arizona	16	Sixteen dogs were rescued from a property in response to repeated failures to provide them with water in extreme heat.
6/18/2026	Ayden, North Carolina	1	A kitten was rescued from a glovebox where they had been left without air conditioning.
6/17/2026	Gilbert, Arizona	2	Two cats were abandoned outside an animal rescue inside a taped box while it was 97 degrees out. One of the cats appeared to have just given birth, and the second cat was pregnant and gave birth just two days later.
6/17/2026	Summit County, Colorado	1	Officers rescued a dog panting in a 103 degree car, but then returned them to their owner.
6/17/2026	Edwardsville, Illinois	15	One puppy died when 16 dogs were left in the back of a car for too long by a city employee who had removed them from a home.
6/13/2026	Tsawwassen, British Columbia, Canada	1	Firefighters broke a window to rescue a dog that had been left in a hot car in a mall parking lot for at least 45 minutes.
6/13/2026	Redmond, Oregon	3	Three breathing-impaired dogs were left in a hot truck in a fairground parking lot.
6/13/2026	Portland, Oregon	1	A dog was rescued from a hot car where they had been left for four hours as a punishment.
6/11/2026	Macon, Georgia	1	A dog was found dead hanging from the door of a hot car, leading to the discovery and rescue of a living dog inside.
6/11/2026	East Earl Township, Pennsylvania	3	Three dogs were rescued from a hot car in the parking lot of a restaurant.
6/11/2026	Middletown, New Jersey	1	A woman left a human child and a dog in a hot car while she went shopping at TJ Maxx.
6/11/2026	San Elizario, Texas	1	An emaciated dog was rescued from a property where they had been left exposed to the heat.
6/10/2026	Albuquerque, New Mexico	1	A rescue effort finally succeeded in freeing a cat from a storm drain after two weeks in rising temperatures.
6/10/2026	Arlington, Massachusetts	1	Officers rescued a dog from a car full of 99-degree air that felt “hot and thick”.
6/9/2026	Los Angeles, California	1	A dog with heavily matted fur was found hiding under a car to escape the heat.
6/9/2026	Lancaster Township, Pennsylvania	78	78 cats were rescued from abysmal conditions in a house with high heat and ammonia.
6/9/2026	Stillwater, Oklahoma	1	Officials rescued a dog from a storm drain and took her to a vet to treat her for heat-distress.
6/8/2026	Shrewsbury, Massachusetts	2	Two overheating dogs were rescued by firefighters in separate incidents, one was playing in a park, and another was locked in a car.
6/2/2026	Chattanooga, Tennessee	11	A man tried to prevent his cats from being confiscated or neglect by moving them to a van which then reached 108 degrees inside.
6/1/2026	Nashville, Tennessee	1	A dog was rescued from a hot car; their guardian showed up two hours later.
5/30/2026	Little Chute, Wisconsin	12	An abandoned car was found to have 12 cats inside. The outside temperature was around 90 degrees and the car windows were closed.
5/28/2026	Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada	1	A dog was rescued from a car which had reached over 120 degrees inside.
5/27/2026	Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada	2	A woman was fined for leaving two dogs in her car on a hot day. The dogs were trapped in there for over an hour.
5/26/2026	Gainesville, Florida	1	A dog was rescued from a hot car after being left inside for two hours. The temperature in the car reached 171 degrees on the dashboard.
5/26/2026	Nashville, Tennessee	1	A dog died after being left wrapped in a blanket in a hot car with the door ajar. Another dog was rescued from the scene.
5/26/2026	Panama City, Florida	1	A woman left her dog in a hot car for five hours while inside a military recruitment office. The dog was in distress when rescued.
5/25/2026	Orange Park, Florida	1	A woman was charged after leaving her dog in a hot car while she went into a Texas Roadhouse. The dog’s temperature reached 104 degrees.
5/19/2026	Phoenix, Arizona	1	A puppy was found abandoned in a bin sitting in direct sunlight on a hot day.
5/19/2026	Lynchburg, Virginia	1	A dog was rescued from a hot car when a passerby saw them panting on the floorboard and called 911.
5/18/2026	Canfield, Ohio	1	Authorities rescued a dog who had been left in a hot car. Their owner was in the middle of a 60-minute massage.
5/18/2026	Dedham, Massachusetts	1	A puppy was rescued from a hot car in a mall parking lot. The temperature in the car was over 100 degrees.
5/18/2026	Kissimmee , Florida	24	Police removed 24 dogs from a hot car and charged the owners with animal cruelty.
5/18/2026	Youngstown, Ohio	1	A dog suffering from heat stroke was brought into a shelter for treatment.
5/17/2026	Sandusky, Ohio	1	A puppy was found panting in the back seat of a car in the parking lot of Cedar Point amusement park on an 85 degree day. The windows were open 1.5 inches, and no water was left with the dog.
5/16/2026	Lady Lake, Florida	1	A puppy was rescued from a car on a 92 degree day after being left there while their owner shopped for over 45 minutes.
5/12/2026	Northport, New York	1	A cat was rescued from a cat carrier where she had been abandoned on the side of the road on a hot day.
5/11/2026	Chandler, Arizona	1	A dog was rescued from a car which had reached 132 degrees inside.
5/9/2026	East El Paso County, Texas	1	Two dogs were left in a hot car for approximately one hour without adequate ventilation or protection from the heat. Officers attempted to give CPR to one of the dogs, but the 2-year-old French Bulldog died. The other dog, a 5-year-old Lhasa Apso was rescued.
5/8/2026	Marion County, Florida	3	A pregnant woman, a man, and three dogs were rescued after running out of water on a hike on a very hot day.
5/5/2026	Dedham, Massachusetts	2	Two dogs were rescued by animal control after being left in cars for more than an hour in a shopping center parking lot. It was around 80 degrees at the time of both incidents, and temperatures inside the cars were above 95 degrees.
5/1/2026	Murrieta, California	21	21 dogs were rescued from a U-Haul where they had been left in the heat with no airflow and no air conditioning.
5/1/2026	Lake Havasu City, Arizona	1	A woman left a dog chained to the door of her van while she was shopping, as temperatures reached 96 degrees. Police responded to a call the dog was in distress and cited the woman for animal cruelty.
4/22/2026	Houston, Texas	1	A husky mix was rescued from a hot car in downtown Houston by police. The dog was in the car for more than two hours in direct sunlight. The dog was panting heavily and pacing back and forth with the windows coated in dried drool. Temperatures inside the car had reached 113 degrees.
4/18/2026	Phoenix, Arizona	1	A dog was found distressed inside a closed vehicle at Papago Park. While police attempted to move the dog to a cooler location, the dog bit an officer, ran from the location, and has not been found.
4/16/2026	Nazareth, Pennsylvania	1	A dog was rescued by police after being found confined in a hot car with the window slightly ajar. Temperatures reached the upper 80s on the day of the rescue.
4/15/2026	Smithfield, North Carolina	1	A bulldog was found locked in a car, without water. It was 90 degrees outside, and the window was cracked less than an inch. The dog was rescued by police.
4/14/2026	Coventry, Connecticut	1	Six dogs died after having been left in a shed for over 12 hours with no food or water. One dog survived.
3/31/2026	Scranton, Pennsylvania	2	Two dogs were left in a car outside a hospital for more than 8 hours with temperatures above 70 degrees. Police checked on the dogs earlier in the day, noting they were not distressed, but returned later and filed animal cruelty charges.
3/22/2026	Vallejo, California	4	Four kittens were rescued after being found in a plastic trash bag on the sidewalk during a heatwave. The kittens were brought to a humane society, where they were medically cleared before being placed in foster care.
3/21/2026	Clearwater, Florida	1	A dog was rescued after being left in a hot car outside a concert venue, with the windows up and an empty water bowl. Temperatures were 72 degrees outside, with the interior temperature 10-20 degrees warmer. The dog, found covered in poop and matted fur, was transported to an animal hospital for care.
3/15/2026	Glendale, Arizona	1	A dog was rescued after being left in a hot car for hours. Officers found the dog in a locked car panting, with the window slightly cracked, outside of Desert Diamond Arena while the dog’s guardian was practicing inside. The dog was surrendered and taken to an animal shelter.
3/5/2026	Milton, Florida	1	A cat named Bink was rescued after being left inside a hot car for over a week without adequate food or water. It was 63 degrees outside, while temperatures reaching 85.8 degrees inside the car. Bink was taken to a vet for care, where he was treated for dehydration and an elevated body temperature of 103.7 degrees.
2/27/2026	Kennesaw, Georgia	1	A dog was found in a hot car outside of a shopping center, left in a crate covered by a blanket. It was 65 degrees and sunny, and police estimated the car’s interior temperature exceeded 100 degrees.

No animal should endure a heat-related death. It’s inexcusable.

As guardians, we must take these vital steps in order to protect our beloved family members:

1. Keep dogs and cats indoors.

Unlike humans, dogs can sweat only through their footpads and cool themselves by panting, which makes it extra hard for them to beat the heat. Being left outside in hot weather can cause heat stress, injury, or death.

2. Never leave your dog—or any other animal—in a hot car.

It’s like being baked alive. Heatstroke can happen in just minutes, even with the car’s windows partially rolled down. And opening a window slightly won’t help—parking in the shade or leaving water in the vehicle won’t prevent your dog from overheating, either.

3. If you see a dog in a hot car …

… call 911 immediately. While you’re waiting for the police to arrive, write down the car’s make, model, and license plate number, or take a picture of the vehicle and go to the nearest building to find a manager and ask that the owner of the car be paged. If authorities are unresponsive or too slow to respond and the animal’s life appears to be in imminent danger, find a witness who will back up your assessment before carefully removing the animal from the car and carrying him or her into the shade. PETA offers an emergency window-breaking hammer for help with intervening in these life-or-death situations. Don’t leave until the authorities arrive on the scene and you know that the dog is safe. Learn more about what to do if you see a dog in a hot car.

4. Recognize the symptoms of heatstroke, and take action if you see them.

Heatstroke is a potentially fatal emergency. Symptoms include restlessness, heavy panting, vomiting, lethargy, and lack of appetite or coordination. If a dog is exhibiting these signs, attempt to lower the body temperature by providing the animal with water and applying a cold towel to the head and chest. If someone is with you, one of you should take these steps in the car as the other drives the dog to a veterinarian.

5. Be mindful when walking a dog in hot weather.

On a hot day, the pavement on sidewalks can reach temperatures between 130 and 180 degrees, which is hot enough to hurt your dog’s feet and even seriously burn them. Here are some helpful tips when walking your companion in the heat:

Always test the pavement with the palm of your hand before setting out—if it feels hot, it’s too hot for Spot.
Walk early in the morning or late in the evening, when it’s cooler.
Choose shady routes.
Carry water, and take frequent breaks.
Never make dogs wear muzzles or halters that restrict their breathing.
Opt for a lightweight fabric collar or a nifty Swamp Cooler vest.
Walk—don’t run. Dogs will run to the point of collapse just to please you. At that point, it may be too late to save them.

Together, we can help drastically reduce the number of dogs and other animal companions who die in hot weather and even eliminate these tragedies altogether. Animals are counting on us—as their guardians and as good Samaritans—to keep them safe. We mustn’t let them down.

Take Action Now

The Helping Overcome Trauma for Children Alone in Rear Seats (HOT CARS) Act of 2017 aims to minimize the number of children and animals who die in hot cars every year by requiring that automakers equip all vehicles with technology that alerts drivers when a passenger remains in the backseat after the engine has been turned off. Sadly, since the bill was introduced, more deaths have occurred—and there will certainly be more in the months ahead. But we can prevent tragedies like these. Click below to help:

Tell Lawmakers to Take Action for Kids and Animals Left in Hot Cars

Make sure that all your friends and family know the potentially lifesaving hot weather tips above.

Watch this video, listen to this radio clip, and check out this ad to learn more about the reasons why you should never leave a dog in a hot car.