The message comes after someone left their dog in a car while shopping on Monday, in the middle of a heat wave.
If it is too hot for you, it is too hot for your pet.
That's the message from the OPP who responded to a dog being left alone in a hot vehicle on Monday just before 10 am in Simcoe. The owner of the dog was shopping and left the dog unattended in the car. A concerned citizen called police. The suspect left before police could lay charges.
On a day where the temperature is 26 degrees Celsius, the temperature inside a vehicle parked in the shade reaches 32 degrees Celsius. If you leave your motor vehicle in the sun the temperature can reach 71 degrees Celsius. This is extremely hot and can have devastating effects on your pet.
Dogs and cats pant to cool themselves, but this is ineffective when they are surrounded by heat. On summer days the air and upholstery in your vehicle can heat up to high temperatures that make it impossible for pets to cool themselves. Your pet will be more comfortable if left at home.
Police warn you could face jail time for leaving a pet in distress. The Criminal Code of Canada has specific sections that deal with the mistreatment of animals.
- Cause unnecessary suffering - maximum sentence of 5 years in jail
- Injure or endanger an animal - maximum sentence of 5 years in jail
- Neglect an animal - maximum sentence of 2 year in jail

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