OPP officers from the Collingwood and The Blue Mountains detachment were called to two separate incidents of dogs left in parked vehicles Monday.
The first incident took place around 5:00 yesterday afternoon at a Blue Mountain Resort parking lot. Police were dispatched after several reports of a dog left in a vehicle. An officer witnessed a dog that appeared to be in distress in a parked van with the windows shut. The officer smashed a window in the van and removed the dog to provide it with water and to cool down.
The owner, a 77 year-old woman from Oakville, was later charged under the Collingwood by-law.
The second such incident occurred a few hours later at the Wal-Mart parking lot in Collingwood. An officer arrived on scene and spotted a dog which appeared in distress, in a parked vehicle with the windows slightly open.
In this case the owner, a 55 year-old man from Collingwood, returned to the vehicle as the officer was at scene and was also charged under the Collingwood by-law.
The OPP remind pet owners that parked vehicles can quickly reach deadly temperatures, even when they are in the shade and the windows are slightly open. Dogs have a limited ability to sweat, and even a short time in a hot environment can be life-threatening.
