June 6, 2025
Pooja Sekhon
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.
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.
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