The Regional District of the Central Okanagan (RDCO) would like to remind people that this is a weekend for hotdogs in the park, not hot dogs in cars.
With temperatures expected to rise across the Okanagan over the weekend of May 11, the RDCO is reminding pet parents to keep their animals at home – and not in hot vehicles.
The temperature in a vehicle, even in the shade with the windows partly open, can rapidly reach a level high enough to seriously harm or kill a pet.
“Even if it’s a quick trip into the store, it’s not worth the risk,” says said Haley Oliver, communications manager with the RDCO.
The District says that it takes as little as 10 minutes for a dog to be harmed by the heat in a car.
Under the Responsible Dog Ownership bylaw, anyone who is found in violation of leaving a dog in an enclosed vehicle could be fined $500.
The RDCO adds that leaving a vehicle running with the air conditioning on is harmful to the environment and is against bylaws in some jurisdictions.
“The safest place for your pet is at home where they have water and shade,” said Oliver.
If you see a pet in a hot car call 911 or the SPCA Animal Helpline at 1-855-622-7722.
Only RCMP or SPCA Special Constables are lawfully allowed to enter a vehicle with an animal in need.
For more information visit rdco.com.
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