'It's just too cold': Edmonton peace officer warns about leaving pets outside, in vehicles
The weather outside is frightful, and as such, most drivers are leaving their pets at home.
But Merlin and Louise Badry’s Goldendoodle Maggie is riding with her owners in style.
The couple has an electric vehicle with a “pet mode” that keeps the vehicle at an ideal temperature when Maggie is left in the car.
“Whether it’s hot or cold we can set the car on dog mode and it maintains a certain temperature, winter or summer,” Merlin told CTV News Edmonton.
The vehicle also has a screen that lets people passing by know the temperature in the car, and that the pet is safe.
But City of Edmonton peace officers don’t recommend relying on technology when temperatures dip as low as they have been over recent days.
“I just worry that things could fail,” said peace officer Brianne Grey.
Grey said peace officers have responded to a multitude of animal welfare calls on Thursday and Friday after animals were left outside in the freezing temperatures.
“We responded to numerous calls yesterday for different breeds, everything from shepherds to staffies to small breed dogs outside shivering, shaking, lifting their paws, and really feeling the effects of the extreme cold weather we’re having,” Grey said.
Grey says pet owners in Alberta have a duty to provide shelter to animals in their care.
"The Animal Protection Act of Alberta states that any person who’s in care and control of an animal has to provide adequate shelter and protection from injury as cold. With these temperatures, injuries as cold would for sure come into play.”
In these temperatures, Grey says an outdoor shelter would have to be heated, insulated, and have straw inside, instead of blankets.
“It is just too cold for them to be outside without any type of protection whatsoever.”
The city is also encouraging residents to learn the signs of an animal in distress, so they can call for help before it's too late.
“When they’re outside, the shivering, shaking, and then another big one is if you start to see the snow build up on their feet and they’re really chewing at their feet.”
“Anything where it looks like the animal is physically suffering, that’s when we want citizens to call us,” Grey said.
The advice for animals in vehicles is similar.
“If they’re seeing signs of distress, not just barking, things like the shivering and shaking, then it would be best to call into the City of Edmonton through 311 and report the concern.”
Grey says the number of animal welfare calls received in cold weather is similar to the number received in summer months.
“In +30 C it’s as important for us to be having those animals have access to a shelter or not being in a vehicle just as its as big of a concern for us when its -30 C.”
The city said peace officers responded to 40 calls last month for animals in distress in a yard, and six so far in December.
According to Edmonton Fire Rescue Services, there were 230 calls about pets in vehicles in 2021.
From January to November of 2022, there have been 176 calls.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson and Evan Kenney.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.