WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Humane Society (WHS) said it has seen a recent spike in calls involving pets left alone in hot cars.

According to Javier Schwersensky, CEO of the WHS, they received more than 20 calls this week.

Schwersensky said pets are often left in cars in various shopping environments, including IKEA, groceries, or stores, and with restrictions in place due to the pandemic, shopping trips are taking longer than before.

“With social distancing rules now in effect, a trip that before may have been 10 minutes in and out can become a 30-minute-plus trip, and then the conditions inside the car change very quickly and it’s absolutely not safe to leave your pet in a vehicle,” he said.

Schwersensky emphasized the fact that there is no amount of time that a pet should be left in a hot car, no matter how quick an errand may be.

“The safest place if you’re going to run an errand and there’s no one with the animal in the car is home. Pets can get upset, the movement around them may be unfamiliar,” he said, noting that conditions inside a car can change rapidly. He noted even if someone leaves the car running with the remote start, there’s still a chance it can fail.

Anyone who leaves their pet in a hot car can face penalties, including animal cruelty charges.

SIGNS A PET IS IN DISTRESS

Schwersensky said there are certain symptoms to look for to identify if an animal is in distress.

“The key signs are essentially panting, the animal moving very slowly, or if it’s just lying down, breathing heavily or having difficulty breathing. Barking and being agitated is not a sign of heatstroke, it’s a sign of stress,” he said, noting if people are congregating around a car, the animal can get more stressed.

He recommended that if someone sees an animal in distress in a vehicle, they should go to the security desk and page the vehicle. They can also call the WHS to report the situation at 204-982-2020.

“Ideally, someone should stay looking at the car, making sure the condition of the animal don’t deteriorate,” Schwersensky said.

He noted that in Manitoba, people are not allowed to break into a car to get an animal out.

“Both animals and cars are property and it’s not allowed for you to just break-in.”

- With files from CTV’s Rahim Ladhani.