Real summer is here. By Friday, forecasters are predicting temperatures of 117.

That kind of heat is termed excessive. Imagine what happens inside a parked car with the windows rolled up, or even cracked on a day with temperatures reaching 117 degrees. According to one study conducted by the Animal Protection Institute, if the outside temperature is 112 degrees and sunny, the inside of a car with two windows rolled down slightly reaches upward of 130 degrees. That temperature rise occurs within the first half-hour, says a Stanford University School of Medicine study. 

Even if you are parking in the shade, even if you plan to run in "real quick" to get a soda, even if you crack the windows, don't leave your animal or your kids or your mother in the car. It's too hot. Really bad things can happen.

for more information on the dangers of leaving your pet in a parked car, go to www.tripswithpets.com.