With the return of summer, Salmon Arm RCMP are once again reminding the public not to leave pets in vehicles.

Staff Sgt. Scott West said police have received a notable increase in calls regarding hot animals, mostly dogs, in cars and trucks.

“As in previous press releases in years past, PLEASE leave your pets home…,” said West in a July 7 media release. “The temperature in vehicles skyrockets in this summer heat. Just rolling the windows down a crack will not help as much as you think, and parking in the shade helps, but again, temperatures will skyrocket after just minutes.

“Please LEAVE your pets home when you are going out to run errands.”

The BC SPCA recently shared a similar message, with a reminder it doesn’t take long to put your pet in a harmful situation when left in a vehicle on a warm or hot day.

“Owners and caretakers may believe they’re doing their furry friend a favour when bringing them along on errands, but if they can’t bring their pet into a store they may think a few minutes in the vehicle won’t be a big deal,” explained the SPCA. “For a dog, though, harmful, and even life-threatening effects can occur in a short time in a hot car. Dogs can’t release heat by sweating, as humans do, so their internal body temperature rises more quickly.”

The BC SPCA added that 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 your dog at home where there’s more space, water and shade,” said the SPCA.

If you see an animal in distress in a parked vehicle, the BC SPCA advises the following:

• 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.

• 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.

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