Never leave a pet inside a hot car: SPCA | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Kelowna News

Never leave a pet inside a hot car: SPCA

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The weather is getting hot, and drivers are rolling down their windows, feeling the breeze in their hair as they drive along. But don’t forget, your pets also need to feel the wind in their fur, or at least a cool breeze.

Every year, pets are killed from the heat in hot cars. The SPCA is reminding the public to ensure pets are never kept inside a hot car. Even cars left in the shade with the window cracked are too hot for our furry friends.

“When the days get warmer we get hundreds of emergency calls to rescue dogs whose lives are endangered because they are left in hot cars by their guardians,” says Lorie Chortyk, general manager of community relations for the BC SPCA. “Many well-meaning guardians leave their dogs unattended in parked cars while they run errands. Tragically, this can lead to serious heatstroke and even death for their pets in as little as 10 minutes.”

If you see an animal trapped in a car, call the SPCA or RCMP because it is possible to get them out in time.

“Though well intended, some citizens may find themselves with an urge to force their way into a vehicle hoping to free a distressed animal,” he says. “Such an act on their part constitutes an act of mischief under the Criminal Code as only authorized agents such as the police or SPCA special constables have the authority to enter a premise or vehicle without a warrant to assist an animal in critical distress.”

To report concerns about an animal in distress in a hot car, please call the BC SPCA’s toll-free animal cruelty hotline at 1-855-622-7722 during working hours or your local RCMP after hours.

For more information about dogs in hot cars, or to find out how you can help raise awareness of this issue in your community, visit spca.bc.ca.

o contact the reporter for this story, email Meaghan Archer at marcher@infotelnews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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