Editor:
With the hot weather upon us, motorists are reminded interiors of cars can quickly heat up, making it intolerable for children and animals.
In the past three weeks, there have been seven calls for police assistance where dogs have been found in vehicles and appeared to be in distress.
There have been no calls involving children left in cars.
All seven calls were resolved and did not result in injury to the animal involved.
If you find an animal in a vehicle that appears to be in distress, follow these steps:
• attempt to provide shade or water for the animal
• call 9-1-1 — a police officer will then be assigned and the 9-1-1 operator will assist you
• look for the owner of the car — go to nearby stores or if possible have them paged
• stay at the car until the police officer arrives
In most cases, a police officer can be there within minutes.
We expect people to take reasonable measures and to use common sense in these situations. The overwhelming majority are resolved without any physical injury to the animal and with the owner being located.
We do not advocate you attempting to enter the vehicle. Wait for a police officer, and they provide direction on what to do.
Const. Gary O’Brien
Media Relations Officer/Crime Stoppers Co-ordinator
Nanaimo RCMP
