Keep your dog safe in hot weather

There's an article in today's Sacramento Bee about a veterinarian, employed by the UC Davis Veterinary School, who left her Great Dane in her car at the local mall on a hot Sacramento afternoon.
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/24/3934318/uc-davis-vet-apologizes-for-locking.html

According to the story, she left the windows cracked and didn't return to the car for 90 minutes. Lucky for her dog, mall security personnel called the fire department who rescued the dog before the interior temperature had a chance to climb above 108 degrees (that happens really fast).

What people don't understand is that, even if they have the best intentions, it's easy to get distracted and forget you've left your dog (or child) in a hot car, which is deadly for both.

Even though my SUV has dark tinted windows, a windshield sunshade and a big bowl of water, even in the shade with windows down six inches, 10 minutes is my limit without checking on my dog. If that's not enough time, then he stays home (and he usually stays home on hot days anyway for his safety).