While each summer brings warnings about the dangers associated with peak temperatures, calls about dogs trapped inside hot vehicles continue to stream into the SPCA.

“We’ve had a lot of calls, probably about 20 a week,” said branch manager Tracy Westmoreland. “When it’s hot, it’s been crazy.”

The local SPCA serves a vast region which spans across much of the South Okanagan, so when the calls come in its six staff members are oftentimes too far off the course to intervene. At that point they have to call the RCMP to address the issue.

“We’re obviously limited in what we can do time wise and distance wise,” she said. “But it’s good we get the calls, people are being vigilant.”

And, she realizes, many of those who have left their dogs in the car aren’t being malicious, they just don’t realize the danger to their dog.

“Dogs cool themselves through panting, and they release heat through their paws,” she explained. “When the air and upholstery is hot, it becomes impossible to cool a dog down.”

That’s when they’re in danger of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, the latter of which can ultimately be a killer.

While just the mere sight of a dog trapped in a car can be alarming, Westmoreland pointed out that there’s a big gap between distress and near-death conditions, so she pointed out that the image of SPCA workers bashing out windows isn’t quite right.

“It has to be in critical distress before we can do that,” she said, adding they often just wait at the car and monitor the dogs condition waiting to act.

Ultimately, a call usually amounts to an order to cease and desist behaviour that puts pets at risk and licence plates and names are recorded and put on file.

And, she said, not every pet in a car is in dire need.

“Dogs will bark, that’s normal when they are protecting their territory. When a dog is not responsive and starts to lose consciousness that’s scary.”

Quite often, she said, the person who has left their pooch behind is just nipping into the store and aren’t aware that anything could happen. For that reason alone, dog owners would just be smarter to leave their pooches at home.

“Don’t leave any being in a car in 35 degree heat,” she said. “Whenever you can, leave your dog at home.”