A Whistler dog owner was issued a warning after the owner left the dog in a hot vehicle. On June 4, Whistler RCMP officers were alerted to a dog that was left in a parked vehicle in Whistler. The temperature inside the vehicle was determined to be approximately 38 C. Police contacted the dog owner and issued a warning to the owner. The location of this incident wasn’t specified by the police.
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Leaving a dog in a hot car can be harmful and even life-threatening, cautions BC SPCA. Dogs can’t release heat by sweating, as humans do, so their internal body temperature rises more quickly. Some dogs, including senior pets and those with flatter faces, experience even more challenges in hot weather. At the end of the day, it’s best to simply leave the pet at home where there’s more space, water and shade, SPCA advises.
See a dog in hot car ? Hers is what to do
Note the license plate, vehicle colour, make and model and ask managers of nearby businesses to page the owner to return to their vehicle immediately. If the animal is not showing signs of distress, but you are concerned, you may wish to stay by the vehicle to monitor the situation until the owner returns.
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If the animal is showing clear signs of heatstroke or other distress symptoms, call your local animal control agency, police, RCMP or the BC SPCA Animal Helpline at 1-855-622-7722 as soon as possible. The BC SPCA has a limited number of constables – if one is not available in the area the Animal Helpline can advise you about other emergency numbers to call so that help will arrive as quickly as possible.