Source: OPP
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), West Region, urges pet owners never to leave pets unattended in cold vehicles. If it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for them. Vehicles act like refrigerators, trapping the cold and putting pets at risk of freezing to death.
Always bring pets indoors during extreme cold, except for exercise or if they’re a breed adapted to outdoor weather. Even long-haired dogs need extra care when temperatures drop.
Under the Criminal Code of Canada, animal mistreatment can result in severe penalties:
Causing unnecessary suffering: up to 5 years in jail
Injuring or endangering an animal: up to 5 years in jail
Neglecting an animal: up to 2 years in jail
If you see an animal in distress in a vehicle, gather the make, model, and license plate, page the owner, and call the police. Let’s keep our pets safe this winter
Written by: C. Soares
