THUNDER BAY – A 55-year-old man has pleaded guilty to animal cruelty for leaving a Shepherd-type dog inside a car on a hot summer day, with a veterinarian saying the dog may have died or suffered brain damage had it been kept in any longer.
The Manitouwadge man last month pleaded guilty in a Thunder Bay provincial offences court to causing an animal to be in distress under the Ontario SPCA Act, receiving a fine of $200.
On Aug. 11, 2017, an Ontario SPCA agent responded to a call of a dog being left inside a vehicle in the west end of Thunder Bay. The dog was found panting heavily on the floor, trying to stay out of the sun. The internal temperature of the vehicle was 39C.
The officer removed the dog from the vehicle when the owner could not be immediately located. The dog’s internal body temperature was found to be elevated during a subsequent veterinary examination.
“There is no excuse to leave an animal in a hot vehicle for any amount of time,” said Lynn Michaud, an Ontario SPCA senior inspector.
“Fortunately, in this case, the dog was removed from the car before it suffered serious health effects, thanks to the fast-acting public that reported the incident. There can be legal consequences if you leave an animal in a unattended vehicle, which can quickly reach deadly temperatures, even on relatively mild days with the vehicle parked in the shade and the windows slightly open.”
People who see animals left inside vehicles are urged to contact the Ontario SPCA or a local police force and if possible, ask surrounding businesses to make an announcement asking the owner to return to the vehicle.
