The Wellington County OPP is urging all pet owners to never leave your pet unattended in a hot motor vehicle.
They say if it’s too hot for you to sit inside your vehicle without the air-conditioning running, then it’s too hot for your pet.
On a day where the temperature is 26 degrees Celsius, the temperature inside a vehicle parked in the shade can reach 32 degrees Celsius.
If you leave your motor vehicle in the sun the temperature can reach 71 degrees Celsius. This is extremely hot and can have devastating effects on your pet.
Dogs and cats pant to cool themselves, but this is ineffective when they are surrounded by heat. On summer days the air and upholstery in your vehicle can heat up to high temperatures that make it impossible for pets to cool themselves.
Your pet will be more comfortable if left at home.
The criminal code has specific sections that deal with the mistreatment of animals including:
- cause unnecessary suffering
- injure or endanger an animal
- neglect of an animal
If you see an animal in a vehicle on a warm or humid day who you believe may be in distress, gather as much information as you can.
Obtain the make, model and license of the vehicle and immediately enter the store and request that the owner be paged and contact police.
