It’s been a pleasantly quiet year for the Renfrew County SPCA’s No Hot Pets campaign this summer.
The campaign is aimed at stopping pet owners from leaving animals in hot vehicles during the summer as it can cause serious harm or even death. Since the campaign started on June 21st, the Renfrew County SPCA has received just eight calls about dogs in cars. SPCA Inspector Natalie Rizzuti says this doesn’t include calls that have been reported directly to the police.
Rizzuti says instead of leaving your pets in cars, the better option is to usually leave them at home if you know you’ll be leaving your vehicle unattended. However, she does mention that a lot of stores are becoming ‘pet-friendly’, which means you can bring animals inside instead of leaving them in the car. She says if you see a dog in a hot car, you should call the SPCA or police to report it and to get the animal out safely, and in a timely matter.
In 2018, the No Hot Pets campaign has seen 281 calls about pets in cars across Ontario, with eight coming from Renfrew County. While the number doesn’t seem large, Rizzuti says it’s still eight too many.