Ray Dhaliwal is a locksmith and lifelong dog lover.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED / Ray Dhaliwal
August 08, 2020 - 12:00 PM
If you see a dog trapped in a hot car in Kamloops, don't break the window — just call locksmith Ray Dhaliwal.
Dhaliwal is the owner of Ray's Lock & Key and a lifelong dog lover. He is offering to unlock any car door in town with a pet trapped inside within five to ten minutes, anytime and free of charge.
"I see way too much of that stuff, animals in distress when they're in cars," the former City of Kamloops councillor said.
While he doesn't believe criminal charges are likely for opening doors, because his tools don't cause damage to the vehicle, he said he would be willing to take the risk to save a life.
"I'm not coming here to break the law or anything, I'm doing it because the service is required," he said.
Last week, a woman who left her two dogs in a hot car on July 27 at Canadian Tire sparked outrage in the community.
Despite several witnesses calling Bylaw and RCMP, no officials attended the scene. The owner later insisted that her dogs were never in danger, and she would bring them in the vehicle again if she had no other options.
READ MORE: Dogs found locked in hot car in Kamloops sparks outrage
Dhaliwal is calling on Mayor and Council for a bylaw enforcing stricter penalties for pet owners who leave their dogs in the car.
He says owners should pay a $500 fine, and that bystanders should be able to bring dogs into a local vet for a check-up in case of heat stroke.
If you see a pet locked in a hot car, call Dhaliwal on his cellphone at 250-320-5625.
- This story was originally published Aug. 7, 2020.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Brie Welton or call (250) 819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © iNFOnews, 2020