JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – The Johannesburg SPCA has formulated a guide on how concerned citizens and animal lovers could do their part in ensuring that animals are not subjected to heat strokes when travelling with owners.
Did you know that leaving your pet in a locked vehicle with the windows closed results in increased body temperature and heat stroke in animals, especially dogs?
Recently there have been concerns that residents and pet owners needed more information on the dire impact of leaving an animal in a locked vehicle parked in the sun, and the laws on how the pets in distress can be rescued from locked cars.
JSPCA Spokesperson Jolene Beyleveld explained what witnesses to a pet locked in a vehicle could do to help the distressed animal: “The best way to respond is to contact the SPCA in the area immediately, who will advise you on what to do.
“If you are going to a shopping mall or running errands, rather leave your pet at home. The temperature inside a closed or partially open car could rise to 54,4 degrees Celsius in the short space of ten minutes if it is 32 degrees Celsius outside. In other words within 90 seconds, the temperature could rise by 11 degrees Celsius. This is sufficient to induce irreparable brain damage and/or liver, kidney and heart damage. Obviously this could also result in death. Dogs regulate their body temperature through expelling heat by panting, which then assists with evaporation. The confines of the car hinder this process. The human-animal bond is a precious one. Try not to compromise it by leaving your dog in a car.
“How often have you not driven behind a vehicle and seen a dog, head out the window, ears flapping in the wind and eyes scrunched up. For the safety of both the dog and the human passengers, dogs should rather be securely restrained while traveling. A loose dog could become a dangerous projectile, especially if you had to slam on brakes and the impetus were to propel the dog forward rapidly. This could result in serious injury to occupants in the front seats and/or the dog itself. The solution is to utilise a travelling crate, safety harness or a specific running line in order to secure your animal optimally.”
For a 24 hour duty inspector contact 083 604 1172 in Johannesburg South or call 011 681 3600 during office hours.
Early this month the South African Police Service together with Fatal Moves undertook to educate pet owners who travel with their animals regarding a distressed pet locked in a vehicle parked in the sun.
SAPS Legal Services in a response to an enquiry by Fatal Moves on Twitter said the response by citizens should they see animals locked up in hot cars and in distress should be the following: “It would depend on the specific situation. If an animal is found locked up in a vehicle in the sun, but the condition of the animal is still such that the delay caused by contacting the NSPCA or the police will not endanger the life of the animal, then those officials must be contacted. It is an offence in terms of section 2(1) (m) of the Animal Protection Act and the officials are empowered to rescue the animal and may even arrest the owner.”
