Owner charged after leaving pets in hot vehicle in Oshawa, leading to the death of 1 dog

A Durham Regional Police officer's logo emblem is shown at a Bowmanville, Ont. shopping centre parking lot on Tuesday Feb. 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Doug Ives

A dog owner was arrested after leaving their dogs inside a vehicle for an extended period of time in Oshawa, which police said resulted in one of them having to be euthanized due to heat stroke.

On Sunday, Durham police said they responded to an animal abuse call in the area of Simcoe Street North and Winchester Road West after two dogs that “appeared to be in distress” were seen in a vehicle.

Acting Staff Sgt. Joanne McCabe, of Durham Regional Police, said at around 4:40 p.m. that day police received a call to attend that area after learning that two dogs were locked inside a vehicle.

“It is believed at this time that they were in there for an extended period of time when officers attended the scene. (Officers) spoke to witnesses and were eventually led to a veterinarian clinic, where we learned that one of the dogs had to be euthanized from the heat stroke,” she told CP24 on Monday morning.

The other dog in the vehicle appears to be fine, McCabe said.

She added that the dog owner has been charged with one count of willfully cause unnecessary pain or suffering or injury to an animal.

McCabe said while police in Durham haven’t necessarily seen an uptick in these kinds of cases, one incident like this is “too many.”

“We are putting out a reminder from this. We’re going into another week of warm weather and even a short time in the car is too hot for these animals,” she said.

“We’re asking that people take their time, find alternatives, and if it’s something where you’re unable to go to the place that you want to go to without leaving the dogs in the car, then just don’t go to that place.”

Durham Regional Police Service, in a media release, said this incident “serves as a reminder of the serious dangers posed to animals left in vehicles during hot weather” and are asking people to not leave animals alone in vehicles during hot weather conditions, as “even a few minutes can be dangerous.”

“We’re finding on these hot days, we don’t even really have much of a breeze, so (pets aren’t) getting the temperature control that they need,” McCabe added.

“And even if you think it’s okay, it’s not. And this, sadly, is a reminder that we need to put out to remind people the rest of the summer is not to leave those car the dogs and the vehicle.

People in the area, meanwhile, are horrified by the incident.

“They’re like your children,” one person told CTV News Toronto on Monday.

“It makes me sick to my stomach that an animal has to suffer like that. Unfortunately, people don’t think,” added another.

According to experts, dogs have a limited ability to sweat, so even a short of time in a hot environment can be deadly.

In fact, dog heat stroke fatalities can occur in under 15 minutes - and even if you park in a shady area, your car can reach dangerous temperatures quickly.

Anyone who sees a pet in distress in a hot vehicle is advised to call 911 immediately and remain on hand to provide information to emergency responders.

With files from CTV News Toronto’s Janice Golding