(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
August 08, 2018 - 4:43 PM
KELOWNA - You might think you’re being a hero breaking a car window to save what you think is a hot dog in distress but the B.C. SPCA recommends against it, at least in this province.
"Only RCMP, local police and B.C. SPCA special constables have the authority to enter a vehicle to help a pet in distress,” SPCA Const. Rhonda Ott said in a press release.
People and employees of businesses have been held financially responsible for doing just that, Ott says, while risking injury to themselves and the dog.
Instead Ott recommends noting vehicle information such as colour, make and model and calling the society’s Animal Cruelty Hotline, open seven days a week from 9 a. m to 5 p.m. at 1-855-622-7722.
Ott says callers to the hotline should position themselves to give a good description of the animal, including its behaviour.
If you’re out and about, the SPCA recommends looking for pet-friendly businesses that display their poster.
Business owners should post their pet-friendly policies to social media, helping would-be customers with dogs decide where to shop. Once inside, a water station is a welcome respite for panting pets, the society says.
It helps to have a plan for employees to follow if someone reports an animal in distress outside your business.
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