A dog was left inside a vehicle on a hot summer day for more than 20 minutes.
Ponoka RCMP state they received a call last week of a frantic dog barking while locked in a vehicle.
“The dog was barking frantically. Police attended and located the dog which had no water and was in the vehicle for approximately 20 minutes,” say police.
Considering the warm weather recently, RCMP advise dog owners not keep their animal inside of a vehicle during the hot summer months when unattended.
“Just five minutes in a locked vehicle, depending on the outside temperature, can kill your pet,” say Ponoka RCMP.
Pets get heatstroke much more quickly than humans, say police, because they can’t cool themselves off by sweating.
“Dogs and cats in particular only have sweat glands on their paws and that does not help on a hot car seat,” police continue.
Police suggest when the temperature increases, even by a few degrees, can be a cause for worry when locked in a vehicle.
If you see an animal in distress in a vehicle dial 911 for police assistance.