Posted on 6/26/2026
Summer driving can be uncomfortable for anyone, but it can be especially hard on pets. At our shop, we spend a lot of time helping drivers get their vehicles ready for warm-weather travel, and one thing we always like to remind people is that a car that feels “a little warm” to you may feel much worse to the dog or cat riding in the back. That matters because pets do not cool themselves the way people do. They cannot turn the vents toward themselves, tell you the back seat feels stuffy, or explain that the sun beating through the side window is making them miserable. By the time a pet looks obviously uncomfortable, the interior may already be much hotter and more stressful than the driver realized. If you travel with your pet during the summer, it helps to think beyond just whether the car has air conditioning. Cabin airflow, seating position, traffic conditions, and even how packed the vehicle is all affect how hot the backseat feels. Pets Feel Heat Differently ... read more