A New Brunswick woman has been charged after a dog was left inside a vehicle in Bridgewater, N.S., on a hot summer day.
The Bridgewater Police Service received a 911 call about the dog at 10:45 a.m. Friday.
Police responded to the parking lot of the local mall, where they found the dog in an unlocked vehicle that had the windows cracked open a small amount.
Police say the dog appeared to be in distress. It was removed from the vehicle and place in an air-conditioned police cruiser.
The young Labrador mix was then taken to a local animal hospital, where it was treated and released with no serious health issues.
A 34-year-old woman from Beresford, N.B., has been charged under the Animal Protection Act with leaving an animal unattended in a vehicle in conditions that could cause distress. The charge carries a fine of $697.50.
Police are reminding motorists to leave their pets at home on hot summer days, saying it only takes a short amount of time for temperatures in a vehicle to reach dangerous levels.
Kalin Mitchell, chief meteorologist for CTV Atlantic, says, with the humidity, the temperature felt like 30 degrees Celsius in the Bridgewater area between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Friday.
