It’s a warm summer afternoon. You’ve just pulled into the grocery store parking lot. You crack the windows, glance at the backseat, and say it without thinking:
“I’ll be right back.”
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Your dog watches you walk away. His tail thumps once, then stops. The engine is off. The sun beats through the windshield. Five minutes pass. Then ten.
Inside the car, it’s now over 40°C.
Your pet is panting heavily. Drooling. Confused. His body is shutting down.
And you only meant to grab milk.
Every year, animal welfare groups across the country respond to distress calls: pets trapped in hot vehicles, suffering or already gone.
The tragedy?
It’s entirely avoidable.
Even on a “comfortable” day, a car can become a death trap within minutes:
Your pet can’t escape.
They can’t sweat like we do.
And they can't call for help.
We’ve heard it all before:
“I’ll only be five minutes.”
“It’s not even that hot today.”
“I left the windows open.”
These excuses feel harmless — until they’re not.
Until a bystander is calling 911.
Until your pet is fighting for breath.
Until it’s too late.
“I can’t roll the window down.
I can’t open the door.
I can’t cool off.
Please don’t leave me here.”
This is what we imagine when we say Hot Cars Kill.
It’s not just a slogan — it’s a painful truth.
And the more we talk about it, the more pets we can protect.
Act quickly — it could save a life:
Never break a window unless directed to by law enforcement or it becomes an emergency —that’s a legal decision that varies by province.
Every time you choose to leave your pet at home, you're making a life-saving decision.
Every time you share this message, you might change someone else’s.
This summer, let’s make sure no animal suffers in silence.
