'Stop doing this': B.C. vet shares photo of dog that died from hot car

CTV National News: Vet hopes to make difference A vet who posted a photo of a dog that died after being left in a hot car is hoping to make a difference. Breanna Karstens-Smith reports.

A British Columbia veterinarian posted a photo of a dead dog to Facebook in an effort to expose the dire consequences of leaving pets in hot vehicles – and her message appears to be making an impact.

Leah Montgomery took the photo of the dog, which she says was brought to her Friday night by a couple of people who admitted it had been left in a hot car.

“We are heart broken,” Montgomery wrote in the post on the Facebook page for her clinic.

“Such a preventable disaster,” she added. “Dog left in the car today. Dead. Family is distraught. Please please stop doing this people!!”

The post, which shows the animal wrapped in a blanket, has since been shared thousands of times.

Montgomery told CTV Vancouver that leaving dogs in hot vehicles can cause their blood to thicken, leading to kidney failure, blood clots and sometimes death.

She said she is pleased that her warning is getting so much attention and hopes it will convince dog owners to heed the frequent warnings about the dangerous practice.

“Having a graphic of a happy panting dog inside a car, obviously it's not getting the message across to people,” she said. “This is what it looks like.”

With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Breanna Karstens-Smith