VANCOUVER – With the recent hot weather, North Vancouver RCMP want to remind the public to not leave pets in vehicles.
In the past several weeks, police say there have been a number of calls for police help where dogs have been found in vehicles and appeared to be in distress. Luckily, all calls were resolved with no serious injuries to any of the animals.
The interior of a car can heat up very quickly and an animal can become overwhelmed by heat in as little as 10 minutes.
The temperature in a parked car, even in the shade with partly open windows, can rapidly reach a level high enough to seriously harm or even kill a pet.
Police say, if you find an animal in a vehicle that appears to be in distress follow these steps:
- attempt to provide shade or water for the animal
- look for the owner of the car, go to nearby stores or if possible have the owner paged
- call your local BC SPCA or the local police department
- stay near the car until the police officer arrives
“Police expect people to take reasonable measures and to use common sense in these situations. We do not advocate you attempting to enter the vehicle. Wait for a police officer to arrive and they will assist you,” said Cpl. Richard De Jong of the North Vancouver RCMP. “In North Vancouver there are enforcement bylaws that may be issued when warranted.”
You can also call the SPCA’s Animal Cruelty Hotline at 1 (855) 6BC SPCA (1-855-622-7722). The call centre is open seven days per week: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
“If you travel with your dog this summer, remember to bring fresh water and a bowl. Panting and drinking water helps cool them,” said Don Brown, senior bylaw officer of the Capital Regional District Animal Control.
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