A couple of weeks of nice weather in Langley has included a not-so-nice feature of the season – dogs left in hot cars.
“Every year as soon as it starts to get warm, we start to get those calls,” said Jayne Nelson, executive director of the Langley Animal Protection Society.
She estimates that LAPS has already received five to 10 calls this year so far.
Cars and trucks, even with the windows cracked, can overheat quickly.
Dogs and other pets can quickly suffer from discomfort, then heatstroke, and possibly death.
In 2014, six Lower Mainland dogs died when they were left inside a dog walker’s truck for about 45 minutes.
“We sure wish people would leave them at home,” said Nelson.
The next best thing is taking the dog along on errands, but making sure one person can stay with the dog outside the vehicle. Somewhere shady with access to water is best, Nelson said.
There are also pet-friendly stores around Langley that would be happy to see both owner and dog come on inside – such businesses are usually marked with signs.
Nelson said if people see a dog in a hot car they should:
• Try to locate the owner in nearby stores
• Call LAPS
• Call the RCMP if the situation is urgent.