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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/dog-car-twenty-degrees

Per the AVMA, how much can the temperature inside a parked car rise in just 10 minutes?

Almost 20 degrees F.

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  1. About 2 degrees F
  2. About 5 degrees F
  3. Almost 20 degrees F ✔

Why: A parked car heats up fast, even with the engine off. After an hour the inside can be over 40 degrees hotter than the outside air.

Huh, didn't know that: The AVMA says hundreds of pets die each year from heat exhaustion after being left in parked vehicles.

The dad joke
Why did the dog stay out of the sun? So he wouldn't be a hot dog.
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References

Answer: Almost 20 degrees F. A parked car heats up fast, even with the engine off. After an hour the inside can be over 40 degrees hotter than the outside air.

  1. AVMA, Pet safety in vehicles www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/pets-vehicles
    the temperature inside your vehicle can rise about 20 degrees Fahrenheit in just 10 minutes
    Checked 2026-10-11.
  2. FDA, Travel Training for You and Your Pets www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/travel-training-you-and-your-pets
    hundreds of pets die every year from heat exhaustion after being left in parked vehicles
    Checked 2026-10-11.

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