SPCA reminds people to watch for distressed pets in vehicles as heat wave begins in N.S.

With Halifax seeing a much hotter than normal stretch here over the next few days, the Nova Scotia SPCA is cautioning people to keep their pets out of heat’s way.

Kevin Strooband is deputy chief inspector for the Nova Scotia SPCA and says with the hot weather sneaking up on us, people need to be vigilant in order to protect animals from overheating and distress.

Strooband recommends people leave pets at home and not in cars, which takes very little time to become too hot for animals.

He also advises anyone who sees pets in distress not to hesitate in taking action.

“As we put the message out there, more people will call us,” he tells CityNews Halifax. “That’s really what we are asking for, that people take this seriously. If they are in doubt about an animal in a car and they don’t know if they should call, we recommend that they do call.”

Strooband notes that people can call either the Halifax Regional Police or the SPCA, adding that around ten SPCA enforcement officers are on patrol regularly across the province.

Fines for animals being found in distress in vehicles can be up to $700, he adds.

This all comes one day after the SPCA said, in a separate incident, that a 30-year-old woman had been charged with causing unnecessary suffering and abandonment related to the death of two dogs.

According to the SPCA, that arrest was made in response to a complaint about two dogs in distress at a residence in Freeport.