Hospital employees suspended after helping dog in hot car

MONTREAL— Four suspended Quebec City hospital employees will fight the disciplinary action imposed against them for removing a dog from a hot car and bringing it into the building.

Two separate unions representing a maintenance worker and three mailroom employees said they are grieving the suspensions of between three and eight days. “We have employees who were good citizens, Good Samaritans and they helped an animal in distress. And instead of getting a tap on the back, they got a slap in the face,” said Ann Gingras of the Confederation of National Trade Unions, which represents the maintenance worker.

The incident occurred on July 5 at Quebec City’s L’Enfant-Jesus Hospital. Two employees were heading to lunch when they noticed the dog in the back of a car. While returning to work, they saw it was panting heavily.

They decided to check once more later on and noticed the animal was semi-conscious. They called police but decided to open the slightly opened car window further. Gingras said the employees brought the dog into an air-conditioned office for about three or four hours and gave it water.

They later took the dog out where the owners spotted them and asked for the animal back. The employees gave the canine to Quebec City police, who returned it.

One month later, the hospital announced the disciplinary action.

A spokesperson for the hospital centre said in a statement the employees were sanctioned because they contravened rules that forbid most animals from being inside the hospital.