As the valley again heads into what is expected to be a hot week, it is important for pet owners to understand how hot it gets in automobiles.
The Mail has received calls from concerned residents and visitors seeing animals trapped in cars on hot summer days. The Drumheller RCMP also receives those calls on occasion.
“We get a few calls a year in regards to pets in vehicles,” said Staff Sergeant Art Hopkins. “I haven’t heard of any serious ones this year, but they are always coming up especially when the weather gets hot.”
According to the Alberta SPCA, on a hot day a car can reach 51 degrees Celsius in as little as 10 minutes. In this time, a dog can suffer cerebral damage or even death. On very hot days, parking in the shade, opening windows and providing water may not help alleviate the extreme temperatures.
So far Hopkins said they have not had to extricate any pets from cars due to extreme heat complaints are rare.
He said owners are responsible for providing the necessities of life to their pet and leaving an animal in a car in extreme temperatures could lead to criminal charges.
The SPCA cites two incidents in 2006. In one, the owners of a dog left in a vehicle pleaded guilty to a charge under the Animal Protection Act and were fined $400. In another case, owners who left their dog in the car for two and a half hours on a day when the temperature was 21 degrees Celsius, was ordered to pay $1,500.
