A few tips to keep your canine happy and healthy on car rides
In many homes, pets are considered members of a family, so it’s important to be educated about and prepared for pet health issues in and around vehicles.
May has brought sun and warmer temperatures and it’s a timely reminder to exercise caution when travelling or doing errands with your pet in your vehicle.
While you may consider running errands as a matter of minutes, for a dog, a matter of minutes could be all it takes to inflict irreparable brain damage or even death.
Refrain from leaving your dog in the car — having the windows opened a crack simply isn’t enough when temperatures start to rise. According to the B.C. SPCA, pets are easily susceptible to heat stroke because they can’t sweat. Instead, they rely on panting to keep cool. But if all they’re breathing in is hot air from inside the car, they won’t be able to regulate their temperature. Heat stroke symptoms include exaggerated panting, rapid or erratic pulse, salivation, anxious or staring expression, weakness and muscle tremors, lack of co-ordination, convulsions or vomiting, and collapse.
In 2015, the Weather Network did a science experiment on whether it’s possible to bake cookies on the dashboard of a car sitting out in the sun. What they found was that it was possible. If it’s hot enough to bake cookies, it’s hot enough to pose harm to a pet inside a vehicle.
If you see a dog, or for that matter any animal that may be suffering in a vehicle, take down the car’s make, model and licence plate, have the owner paged in the nearest buildings, or call local humane authorities or police. Have someone keep an eye on the dog. And don’t leave the scene until the situation has been resolved.
If you think your dog is experiencing a heatstroke, the B.C. SPCA recommends moving your pet to a cool, shady place and giving them some cool water to drink while fanning him or her. In addition, you may want to put a wet towel over your pet to help cool off and visit the veterinarian right after to make sure everything is OK.
Another reminder is related to pets being properly secured in a vehicle — a matter that is part of the law.
According to Section 72 of the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act, a person commits an offence if a living animal is transported on the running board, fender, hood or other exterior part of a motor vehicle outside of a suitable cage or carrier. Having your dog travelling in the back of your pickup truck unsecured is against the law.
Unsecured animals inside the cabin can also be a source of distraction for drivers. Purchase a dog harness to ensure your dog isn’t hurt in the event of a crash and to prevent them from escaping when the windows are down. Alternatively, you could opt for a secured dog crate — and preferably one that’s been crash tested.
For those who may have attended the recent Vancouver International Auto Show, you may have seen Nissan’s petfriendly concept, Rogue Dogue, complete with food and water dispensers, dog shower, built-in harness and access ramp.
These are undoubtedly unique innovations, but until the concept becomes a reality, be sure to practise good pet and vehicle safety for you and your pet’s peace of mind. Blair Qualey is president and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of B.C. You can email him at bqualey@newcardealers.ca.