This advice came after a driver recently left a dog inside a car in the parking lot of a shopping centre in Sunward Park at around midday on a very hot afternoon.
A witness alerted the SPCA and an inspector was immediately dispatched to the shopping centre but arrived to find that the car in which the dog had been locked had already left.
The SPCA was, however, able to trace the owner through the car’s registration number and said the owner will be issued a warning. The dog is believed to be unharmed.
With the extreme heat that the city has been experiencing lately, the society appeals to drivers to avoid leaving dogs in vehicles because temperatures can, within minutes, become unbearable for the animal.
Spelling out what to do when you see a dog that has been left in a hot car, SPCA inspector Hope Mokalapa said it is very important to act quickly by phoning the SPCA on 011 916 5906/7, and providing the details of the situation, including the condition of the dog, the location and the car’s registration number. Once the information has been given an inspector will be sent to help the animal.
According to Mokalapa, if the dog is at serious risk of death, the inspector may decide to break into the car to get the dog out.
He, however, discouraged kind-hearted animal lovers from breaking into someone’s car because they can get in trouble as it’s illegal to smash the window or break into someone’s property. Rather leave the situation to the SPCA inspectors to deal with.
Mokalapa said, on average, the society receives a complaint every two to three months of dogs suffering heat exposure due to being locked in cars.
He, however, reminded drivers that a car without adequate ventilation can become a death trap for a dog, even if the animal is only left in the car for a few minutes. -@FanieFLK
