P.E.T.S. Please Ensure Their Safety
Each summer, we receive numerous calls about animals left in hot vehicles. Your car can reach life-threatening temperatures in a matter of minutes — if you can’t take your pet with you, leave them at home.
If you see a dog in a hot vehicle, here’s what you can do to help:
Collect
Record information about the vehicle:
- license plate
- make, model and color
- location – address, cross streets or landmarks – shade, windows down, water access
Also document information about the animal’s behavior. Are they:
- panting
- drooling
- lethargic
- barking
- pacing
- unresponsive
Connect
Call the Langley Animal Protection Society right away, 604 857 5055. As a priority one call, an Animal Control Officer will be dispatched immediately. If you are calling after hours, contact the Langley RCMP non-emergency line, 604 532-3200.
Canvas
Try to locate the vehicle owner by canvassing the area. Go into local business and ask if the vehicle owner can be paged. The faster the owner is located, the faster the animal can be removed from the dangerous situation. If possible, have someone stay with the vehicle until an Animal Control Officer arrives.
Signs and Symptoms of heatstroke in dogs in addition to above:
- Heavy panting
- Excessive drooling
- Lethargy
- Vomiting
- Red gums or tongue
- Rapid pulse
- Lack of coordination
- Diarrhea
- Seizure
If you think your dog has sustained heatstroke here’s what you can do to help:
- Take them to the nearest vet as a matter of urgency.
- Provide a shaded/cool area on the way
- Depending on condition, douse the dog with cool (not cold) water, to avoid shock.
- Allow the dog to drink small amounts of cool water.
- Continue to douse the dog with cool water until their breathing starts to settle but never so much that they begin to shiver.
