Ottawa Police Service Nets PETA Award for Saving Dog From Hot Car

Officer Frees Puppy Left in 42-Degree Vehicle

For Immediate Release:
July 31, 2015

Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382

Courtesy of PETA, a Compassionate Police Service Award is on its way to the Ottawa Police Service after it rushed to the ByWard Market on Monday in response to a report that a puppy had been left inside a parked car in the sweltering heat for almost an hour. Although the dog’s guardian left the windows open, the heat inside the car reportedly climbed to 42 degrees Celsius. An officer removed the dog from the car and gave him to By-Law Services until his guardian could be located. After the incident, an Ottawa Paramedic Service spokesman described the vehicle as “basically a mobile sauna.”

“During the hot summer months, a parked car can be a death trap for a dog in a matter of minutes, even if the windows are partially rolled down,” says PETA Senior Director Colleen O’Brien. “PETA hopes the Ottawa Police Service’s kind actions will inspire people everywhere to act immediately to save more dogs from horrific, preventable deaths.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—joins the Ottawa Police Service in reminding all dog guardians never to leave any animal inside a parked car. On a 25-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 37 degrees and 49 degrees in just minutes, and on a 32-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 71 degrees in less than 10 minutes.

The Ottawa Police Service—which has reportedly rescued several dogs from hot cars this week—will receive a framed certificate and a box of delicious vegan cookies.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.