TORONTO – Malls and police in the Greater Toronto Area are stepping up efforts to educate people on the dangers of leaving children and pets in cars during the summer.
York Police tweeted Thursday morning:
“YOU WOULDN’T LEAVE ICE CREAM IN YOUR CAR: So don’t leave your kids or pets. It’s common sense. Doing so will result in charges.”
York regional police Sgt. Clint Whitney says the tweet was just to remind people of, what he called “completely preventable” dangers.
“It’s just a reminder to put it out there. It’s something that we unfortunately still find happening and it’s just a matter of educating the public,” Whitney said.
The reminder comes two weeks after a two-year-old boy died after being left inside of a car in Milton.
And according to the Canadian Safety Council, six children die as a result of being locked inside hot cars each year in Canada.
Vaughan Mills recently introduced security guards who would be pro-actively checking vehicles in its parking lots for pets locked inside.
When a car enters the mall parking, a security guard is tasked with asking the driver if there is a pet inside the car. If the answer is ‘yes’ the guard then asks about arrangements for care of the animal while the owners are inside the mall.
But whether or not the answer is yes, patrol officers still check on the cars for the length of their stay.
Comments