A heat wave is sweeping across Norfolk, and with it comes a familiar and troubling call to police: a dog left unattended in a hot vehicle.
The best advice? Leave your pets at home where it’s cool and safe.
If that doesn’t happen, Sgt. Ed Sanchuk says officers would much rather respond to a call and check on the situation than hear about a car window smashed in by a concerned bystander.
Sanchuk says most people are aware that there are laws and local bylaws prohibiting leaving animals in hot vehicles—many of which carry hefty fines.
But he emphasizes that tickets should be the least of your worries when a pet’s life is at stake.
Sanchuk isn’t just preaching—he’s experienced it firsthand.
A few years ago, he locked himself inside a car with the windows cracked open to show just how dangerous the heat can get for pets, even if you’re only “running into the store for a second.”
Sanchuk says there’s no excuse for leaving a pet in a hot vehicle. You never know what could delay you inside the store—a long line, a technical issue, or bumping into an old friend. That quick two-minute stop can easily turn into ten, and that delay could prove fatal for your pet.