With summertime in full swing, outdoor temperatures are skyrocketing to sweltering heights. Now is the time of year when someone leaving their pet inside a car unattended, even for a “quick” trip to the store, can turn deadly.

According to The Humane Society of the United States, rolling down car windows has been shown to have little effect on the temperature inside a car.

“When it’s 80 degrees Fahrenheit outside, the temperature inside your car can heat up to 99 degrees Fahrenheit within ten minutes,” The Humane Society states. “When it’s 72 degrees Fahrenheit outside, the temperature inside your car can heat up to 116 degrees Fahrenheit within an hour.”

The ASPCA says that signs of overheating in pets can include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, lethargy, and collapsing.

Pets can also display glazed eyes, vomiting, and a deep red or purple tongue when exposed to high temperatures. Heatstroke can cause permanent injuries to vital organs and even death in animals.

When spotting a pet alone in a hot car, The Humane Society recommends people help by taking down the car’s make, model, and license plate number, then notifying managers or security guards at nearby businesses to help find the owner of the vehicle.

In cases where the owner cannot be located in a timely manner, people can call the non-emergency number of the Newtown Police Department at 203-426-5841 or the Newtown Animal Control at 203-426-6900, then wait by the car with animal until help arrives.