THUNDER BAY – Judy Mayor remembers seeing the dog trapped in the vehicle and not knowing how to help.
Mayor, who works in the Portside Steak and Seafood Restaurant at the Prince Arthur Waterfront Hotel and Suites, was on shift Wednesday night when a security guard observed the canine inside a locked car in the hotel parking lot.
“The window was only cracked a little, and it was a very warm evening,” she said. “The dog was in the front seat and was panting. It looked like it was in distress.”
Hotel staff then called the Thunder Bay and District Humane Society, who directed them to police.
“Our officers tried to locate the owner of the vehicle, but were unsuccessful at doing so,” Thunder Bay Police Service Const. Julie Tilbury said. “As a result for the safety of the dog, the back window was broken and the dog was taken out.”
Mayor estimates that 30 minutes passed from the time they saw the dog to the time police arrived.
“By the time they arrived we had quite the audience of people,” she said. “They all clapped their hands when police broke the window and saved the dogs. It was a good day.”
After initially laying on the pavement, the dog drank some water and recovered. He was eventually returned to the owner.
Police officials would not comment on whether charges were laid.
“I was very impressed with the police; the way they handled the situation they were very compassionate towards the dog,” Mayor said.
In light of this incident, police are warning citizens the dangers of leaving a pet in a hot car.
“I think in situations like this it comes down to common sense. Owners have to make sure they can take care of that animal if they take them out on a car ride,” Tilbury said.
Mayor’s post of the event on Facebook has received more than 500 shares as of Friday. She said she was pleased to see the overall concern from people.
“I have dogs. I foster dogs," she said. "It’s nice to see the community cares about this sort of thing.”
