BC SPCA cautions against leaving dogs in hot cars as Okanagan warned of heat wave

The BC SPCA is asking people to take the pledge to keep pets safe as the temperature heats up.

“We would really prefer that the pets stay at home where it’s cooler, especially on days like today — at times like this when it’s really hot,” said Sean Hogan, BC SPCA Kelowna branch manager.

The plea to help keep pets cool during the summer months and out of hot cars comes on the heels of a heat warning issued by Environment Canada predicting that temperatures could reach up to 37 C this week.

“When you are in a confined space like a vehicle even with the windows cracked down a little bit, airflow just is not happening so temperatures in the vehicle can just skyrocket,” said Hogan.

If you see an animal left in a car that you think is overheating, Hogan says to watch for the signs of heatstroke.

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“They (pets) might be unsteady on their feet, they might slow down quite a bit, they might show a lot of rapid breathing, drooling, their nose might be dry,” said Hogan.

“You want to get that dog out of the vehicle into the shade you want to cool them down. Even just a wet cloth laid on top is a good way to go.”

Hogan said that giving a hot pet an ice cube is not advisable because it can cool down pets too quickly.

He also recommends not getting into heated arguments with pet owners who do leave pets in cars and not to smash windows, because you could harm yourself or the pet and they could escape and get seriously injured.

“We do recommend that if someone is concerned about a dog in a vehicle, the first (thing) they do is note the car and the licence, go to the local business where they think the person is and have them paged,” said Hogan.

“See if they can find them and alert them to their concern. That’s probably the most efficient way to deal with it.”

If you cannot find the owner and are concerned for an animal in a hot car contact the BC SPCA Call Centre at 1-855-622-7722, or in an emergency, dial 911 to have someone get the pet to safety.

0:48 The dangers of leaving pets in hot cars