CANADA -- A Kamloops woman has been fined $1,500 after she left her puppy in her vehicle for several hours on a 27 C (81 F) day while she swam in the West Edmonton Mall’s World Waterpark.
In provincial court Monday morning, Brittany Wiebe cried as she pleaded guilty to one count of causing an animal to be in distress.
Court heard that Wiebe, a medical student, left her Bichon Frise puppy Franklin in her Ford during a visit to Edmonton on Aug. 5, 2012. The dog was barking when first noticed by mall security officers, but seemed fine. When they checked again, the dog was dehydrated, panting, only slightly responsive and had vomited inside the vehicle.
Eventually, Franklin was removed from the car and taken to the Edmonton Humane Society for treatment and 24 hours of observation. The dog was fortunate to recover, Crown prosecutor Christian Lim told court.
“This was a serious situation,” Lim said. “The harm to this dog could’ve been much more egregious.
The dog could have passed away. People need to wake up, smell the coffee and realize these are vulnerable animals.”
The temperature in the car reached roughly 33 C (92 F) during the three hours the dog was inside, according to an agreed statement of facts.
Defence lawyer Jonathan Kerber told court that Wiebe had left a window open slightly and had left some water in the car for Franklin. However, Kerber told court, the dog knocked over the water dish.
As a new dog owner, Wiebe didn’t fully understand the danger to her pet, he added.
“It was not malicious at all,” Wiebe said. “If I thought he was in any danger, I wouldn’t have done it. I love my dog. I would never do it again.”
In addition to her fine, Wiebe is banned from owning any other pets for a decade, though the court allowed her to keep Franklin.
“This appears to be more of a misunderstanding than carelessness,” provincial court Judge Shelagh Creagh said as she fined Wiebe. “I’m glad that Franklin survived this ordeal.”
The Edmonton Humane Society has recently warned drivers about the dangers of leaving pets inside vehicles during hot days. Because dogs cool themselves down by panting, the effects can be fatal if they are only breathing in hot air. Heat stroke can lead to organ damage.
The humane society also warned people to check a dog for signs of distress before calling 911 about a pet left in a car during moderate temperatures.
(Edmonton Journal - July 22, 2013)
