The city’s animal welfare agency is warning residents to keep their animals out of vehicles in the incoming summer heat, or face fines for doing so.
Since May 1, the Winnipeg Humane Society has received 138 calls about animals locked in vehicles, an average number for the agency for this time of year.
As the weather continues to warm, however, the director of investigations and emergency response for WHS said that number will continue to grow.
“It’s a concern, it’s always a concern,” Andrew Clarke said.
Recently enacted city regulations prohibit animals from being left in cars in extreme weather, with various fines tacked to the offence.
According to the city’s Responsible Pet Ownership bylaw, pets left in unattended vehicles when the outside temperature is at or warmer than 22 C or colder than -10 C can net a fine ranging from $250 to $500.
Numbers from the City of Winnipeg show there have been 15 tickets issued for leaving animals in vehicles in 2023. Number of calls to the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service were not immediately available.
Crews from WHS who respond to calls about animals left in vehicles will either try to locate the owner of the vehicle or gain access to it themselves, Clarke said.
Responders can enter vehicles to rescue animals under the Animal Care Act, the director said, but the agency’s focus is education, not punishment.
“We’d like residents and pet owners specifically to comply with the legislation, but more importantly care about their animals and not put them in that deadly situation,” Clarke said.
Clarke added there is no safe way or amount of time to leave an animal unattended in a vehicle.
“You wouldn’t do it with your child, and we want we don’t want people doing it to animals.”
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