With temperatures rising across the province, the BC SPCA is urging the public to remember the serious risks associated with leaving pets in hot vehicles.
“People underestimate how rapidly a vehicle can heat up to dangerous levels, putting animals at risk of fatal consequences,” says Eileen Drever, senior officer protection and stakeholder relations for the BC SPCA. “We also tend to miscalculate how long we’ll be away from our cars. We think we’re just running into the store for one item, but the line ups are long, we stop to chat with an acquaintance, and five minutes turns into half an hour or more while your pet suffers in the heat.”
Even a few minutes in a hot car can be life-threatening for animals. Drever explains that dogs don’t sweat to cool themselves down like humans do, which causes their body temperature to rise more rapidly. And every dog is different. Certain dogs, like senior pets, those with underlying health conditions and those with flatter faces, experience even more challenges in hot weather.
Drever advises that leaving the air conditioning on, or the windows down, may seem like a good option for keeping pets cool, but it’s not a reliable solution nor one the BC SPCA recommends. “If the air conditioning fails, your pet could still be in danger. At the end of the day, it’s best to simply leave your dog at home where there’s more space, water and shade.”
In 2024, the BC SPCA Animal Helpline received 841 calls about animals in hot cars. So far in 2025, the Animal Helpline has already received 164 calls – but that number is expected to rise with the temperatures.
What to do if you have concerns about an animal sitting in a potentially hot car:
- Take note of the license plate, vehicle colour, make and model and connect with nearby businesses to have the animal owner paged to return to their vehicle immediately.
- If the animal is showing signs of distress (exaggerated panting or no panting at all, salivating, an anxious or staring expression, muscle tremors or lack of coordination, convulsions, vomiting, collapse), call your local animal control agency, police department or RCMP, or the BC SPCA Animal Helpline at 1-855-622-7722 as soon as possible.
- Remember to relay location information of the car including city, address and landmarks, especially if the vehicle is in a busy parking lot.
What NOT to do if you have concerns about an animal sitting in a potentially hot car:
- Don’t ignore an animal in distress. We understand life is busy, but at the very least, pass along the information to a nearby business or authority.
- Do NOT break the window.
- Do NOT confront the animal owner.
- Don’t force water into the animal.
Although most people’s intentions are good when they say they would break a glass window to get an animal out of a dangerous hot car situation, it’s strongly recommended you don’t. Not only are you putting yourself at risk when you break a glass window, but you also risk harming the dog.
Only RCMP, local police, and BC SPCA Special Provincial Constables have the authority to enter a vehicle lawfully to help a pet in distress.
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