Pet Patrols Launched at Canadian Mall to Help Dogs Trapped in Hot Cars

In an effort to curb the number of dogs that perish after being left in hot cars by their owners for long periods of time, a Canadian mall recently launched special pet patrols, enlisting staff to scour the parking lot and help any such dogs in distress.

Mic Mac Mall in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia introduced the pet patrol program after police were forced to break into a car to rescue a dog left in the parking lot last month. According to CBC News, mall employees in bright neon shirts will be on the lookout for this problem and try to quickly track down pet owners. If that doesn't work, they are required to notify law enforcement.

Every year, especially during the summer months, thousands of dogs left unattended in vehicles succumb to scorching temperatures while their owners shop or run errands, possibly not meaning to be gone for long.

Owners don't often realize just how hot it can get in a closed car - even on days that don't seem particularly warm. On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can go up to between 100 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit; when it's 90 degrees, it can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes, PETA's website wrote.

Standing the heat is especially tough for dogs, PETA says, because their only means of cooling off are by panting or sweating through their paw pads.

Dog owner Angela Risk thinks the pet patrols are a good idea to prevent more of these careless accidents.

"I think people don't realize how hard it is on the animals and perhaps maybe if they were to sit in a vehicle themselves for the amount of time in the conditions the dogs are being left in, they might realize that it's very detrimental to the animals," Risk told CBC News.

Other shoppers agree.

"You wouldn't leave your own baby in a car, so I think that you wouldn't leave your dog, as well, in a car," said Carolyn Page.

Mic Mac Mall says the program will continue depending on weather and temperature conditions. However, it is ultimately the responsibility of pet owners to take care of their pets.

Signs of heatstroke include restlessness, thick saliva, heaving panting and rapid heartbeat, according to PETA.