A man in Canada went above and beyond for a dog he saw trapped in a hot BMW vehicle.
The unidentified man, in the parking lot of a festival in Ontario, was captured on video on June 11 slamming a large rock more than five times until a back window on the car finally smashed.
He was then able to come to the dog’s aid and remove it from the car.
Once captured, it was reported that the dog was soaking wet; temperatures went up to more than 90 degrees that day.
Kitchener resident Wilson Costa shot a video and posted it on Facebook, which has since been viewed over 600,000 times.
Costa told TODAY that the owners, attending a festival in Grand Bend, had been absent for nearly an hour. Prior to their arrival, an announcement was made asking them to return to the parking lot to get their dog out of the vehicle.
The owners and the police both arrived at the parking lot 50 minutes later, Costa said.
People on social media were livid about the owners’ negligence.
“That dog would not be alive if that man didn’t make the decision to smash in another person’s car windows. Many of us would think twice about damaging someone else’s car and this guy saved a life by caring more about a life than what other people think! We need more people like that around!” wrote a Facebook user.
“Some people shouldn’t have dogs. I think we should put him in the car with no windows open and leave them in there see how he likes it,” wrote another.
According to Medical Director Michael Dix, DVM, pet owners should never leave their pets in a parked car when the outside temperature is above 70 degrees.
“Not even with the windows partway down, not even in the shade, not even for a quick errand. Dogs and cats can’t sweat like humans, so they pant to lower their body temperature. If they’re inside a car, recycling very hot air, panting gives no relief, and heat stroke can happen quickly,” he said.
Jules Benson, DVM, also a medical director said, “Heat stroke can permanently damage a pet’s health very rapidly,” adding that, “The change of only a few degrees to a dog’s normal body temperature can quickly result in coma, organ dysfunction, permanent brain damage or even death.”
The Ontario Provincial Police are currently conducting and investigation with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Huron County Human Society, OPP Constable Christopher Doupe told TODAY.
