A Hot Car Is Not The Place For Your Dog

A recent situation of a dog being left in a hot car was blasted out on Chestermere social media, despite the fact that the incident did not occur in Chestermere and it was not Chestermere Fire Service that responded to the call. However, this situation has sparked a huge outcry from the community about what to do when someone has made the irresponsible decision to leave their dog in a hot car. Chestermere Fire Service and Peace Officers also wanted to weigh in on what to do and the process when this situation happens.
General Motors conducted a heat study that showed that the internal temperatures of your vehicle can rise in temperatures by 20 degrees celcius in approximately 30. If it is 26 degrees outside, within ten minutes the temperature in your car will be 37 degrees, after twenty minutes it will be 42 degrees and after thirty minutes it will be 46 degrees. That is no place for a dog.
“But I’ll only be 5 minutes”… the Calgary Humane Society says there is no such thing as ‘only’ 5 minutes when it comes to a pet in a hot car. “Things happen. Maybe there is a line up, maybe you realize you needed ‘just one more thing’, maybe you run into an old friend. Pretty soon ‘only’ 5 minutes becomes 10, 15 or 30 minutes. Don’t let a 5 minute errand cost you’re your best friend”.
Heat stroke can begin after only a few moments in hot car. Unable to effectively cool off by sweating, a dog’s body temperature will rise rapidly, leading to increasingly dangerous symptoms. Some pets are at greater risk for heat stroke, but a hot car can be fatal for any pet. Water is not enough to prevent heat stroke, reports the Calgary Humane Society. They recommend that if you plan to stop, leave your pet at home or bring someone else who can stay with your pet outside in the shade while you shop.
Should you see a dog in distress in a hot vehicle in Chestermere, call 911. Chestermere Fire Service and Peace Officers will respond to the call. Peace Officers are equipped with special tools to get access into a vehicle with causing minimal damage. The situation is always assessed prior to entering the vehicle, but if the temperature is over 15 degrees outside it is considered too hot to have your dog left in your vehicle and the animal will be removed. Once it is determined that the animal is in distress, the vehicle will be entered and the animal removed. Peace Officers or RCMP will then begin to locate the owner by way of running the license place, checking the license number on the dogs tag if it has been registered with the City or they can also scan the animal for a microchip. It is a $500 fine for leaving your animal in a vehicle when it has been found to be in distress due to the weather, and that goes for leaving dogs in vehicles when it is freezing cold outside as well.