Local police have already responded to several reports of dogs being left inside vehicles this summer.
This has prompted Wellington County OPP to issue a reminder to residents of the dangers of doing so.
“The temperature in a parked car, even in the shade with the windows partly open, can rapidly reach a level that will seriously harm or even kill your pet,” police said in a press release.
With only hot air to breathe, a dog’s normal cooling process – panting – doesn’t work. A dog can withstand internal body temperatures of 40 C for only a few minutes before heatstroke, brain damage or even death occurs. The older or more vulnerable the animal, the more susceptible they are.
“It is against the law to leave a pet unattended in a parked vehicle in a manner that endangers the health or safety of the animal and the owner may face [charges],” police say. “A hot car is no place for a pet. When it’s hot … keep your dog at home with access to shade and lots of fresh water.”
