Police issue reminder after 2 complaints of dogs left in cars on Vancouver Island (2025)

Police are issuing a reminder about not leaving dogs in hot cars after two incidents were reported to police in Oak Bay and Nanaimo in just as many weeks.

On April 24, just before 2 p.m., Oak Bay Police say they received a report of two dogs locked inside of a car in the 2500 block of Estevan Avenue.

“Police attended and saw that the dogs inside the car appeared to be overheating,” said Oak Bay Police in a release Tuesday.

“Just prior to police taking action to assist the dogs, the owner walked up and apologized for leaving them in the vehicle.”

With more sunshine and warmer temperatures starting to sweep over Vancouver Island, Oak Bay Police are encouraging people not to leave animals inside their vehicles, a message shared by Nanaimo RCMP this week.

Nanaimo call

Mounties in the Harbour City say they were called to a vehicle around 5 p.m. on April 15 for a report of a dog “that may be in distress.”

“When officers arrived, they found a small dog in the vehicle panting,” said RCMP in a release Monday.

Mounties say, however, that the responding officers believed the dog was “relatively healthy” and “not in distress” since the vehicle was parked in shade, one window was left partially open, and because the external air temperature was 14°C.

Nanaimo RCMP said the situation served as a good reminder that spring was arriving, however.

“As the days get hotter, this year why not just leave Fido at home with his favorite bone watching Yellowstone or Miss Rachel,” said RCMP.

BC SPCA tips

The BC SPCA says that while it can be tempting to bring a pet along for errands, things can quickly become dangerous for dogs who are left in cars on hot days.

“Dogs can’t release heat by sweating, as humans do, so their internal body temperature rises more quickly,” reads the SPCA website.

“Some dogs, including senior pets and those with flatter faces, experience even more challenges in hot weather.”

Signs of a dog suffering from heat stroke include exaggerated panting, drooling, anxious expression, convulsions, vomiting, collapse, rapid or erratic pulse, and weakness or lack of muscle coordination.

If a pet is suffering from heat stroke, you should move them into a cool or shady place and allow them to drink water.

You can also fan the animal or wet them with cool water, but the SPCA warns that you should not apply ice since that can constrict blood flow.

What to do if you see a dog in a car on a hot day

The BC SPCA says that people who see an animal in distress in a parked vehicle should call officials, and not break a vehicle’s window, which can harm you and the animal.

Instead, people can call their local police, or call the BC SPCA Animal Helpline at 1-855-622-7722.

The SPCA also discourages people from using automated A/C functions in their cars, warning that if the system failed for whatever reason their dogs would be trapped inside a hot vehicle.

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