Don't get hot-headed if you spot a hot dog in a car, police warn
It is not OK to break a window if you see a dog locked in a car, Regina police say
Ask anyone whose job it is to keep animals safe and they will tell you it's a commonly held belief that you can go ahead and break a car window if there is a dog locked inside on a hot day.
People's hearts bleed.- Cathy Brin, Saskatoon SPCA
It's not OK. In fact, it is against the law, Regina police are saying — a timely reminder with hot weather on the way.
Regina Police Service countered the pervasive idea that you are allowed to break a window with a social media post warning that people should not "take legal advice from Facebook.
"We would never condone your breaking someone else's window when there are so many other steps you can take," said the police post.
Call animal protection agency
Cathy Brin is with the Saskatoon Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
She said she's heard this false directive as well, but said she has compassion for anyone who finds themselves worried about a dog locked in a hot car.
"People's hearts bleed," she said.
Brin's advice is to call your local animal protection agency first. In Saskatoon, the SPCA can send out an officer to investigate 24 hours a day. The Saskatoon SPCA can be reached at 306-374-7387.
If for whatever reason that fails, you can try the police.
In Regina, the police say they welcome animal calls and have advised people to contact them through the non-emergency number — 306-777-6500 — so they can dispatch a patrol car.
In its Facebook post, the Regina Police Service said it would also alert animal protection officers anytime it receives a report of an animal in distress.