The summer heat and humidity have settled in Central Maine and it truly has become the dog days of summer. With the increased heat and humidity have come an increased amount of calls to local police of dogs left in cars with the windows up.Police in the Lewiston/Auburn area have received a few calls this week of dogs left in cars.

Animal Control officer Wendell Strout says they had a couple of reports of dogs left in cars in Auburn on Friday and one report in Lewiston.

It's very dangerous to leave a dog in the car with the windows up in extreme heat or cold. In the heat, temperatures rise rapidly in a car, even with the windows cracked open, it can get up to 40 degrees hotter than the air temperature in just 15 minutes.

Dogs keep themselves cool by drooling, similar to how humans sweat. If dogs get too hot, their blood vessels dilate, trying to cool the blood stream. Their blood pressure rises. Being overheated can impact all of their internal organs.

If you see a dog in car with it's windows up, don't hesitate to call the local police, you might just save a dogs life.

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