How to keep your pets safe in Ontario this summer

Ontario SPCA offers up tips to coincide with travel

Published Jul 26, 2026  •  5 minute read

When you're gearing up for wherever your travel plans might take you, don't forget to include safety precautions for your furry friends. Photo by ADOBE /STOCK

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The dog days of summer are here, and the August long weekend is upon us. When you’re gearing up for wherever your travel plans might take you, don’t forget to include safety precautions for your furry friends.

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“People are travelling more with their pets,” said Bonnie Bishop, east regional manager – community outreach services at the Ontario SPCA. “It’s a great opportunity. Pets are now part of the family, which we’re really excited about, but if you’re travelling with your pet, we ask people to plan ahead.”

Before you go

What can you do to help ensure pets are properly cared for during hot weather? The first step is to plan ahead. Before hitting the road, ensure you have all your pet’s necessities, including any medications. Have your current contact information on your animal’s tags and a microchip, which are vitally important should your pet get lost while you’re away.

“Pets get lost all the time,” Bishop explained, “and it’s a big deal … and heartbreaking for the family. They’re subject to being hit by car or lost in the woods, so our key messaging is we want people to travel with their pets, but pre-planning is key.”

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Bishop recommends locating pet-friendly stops en route, such as businesses that allow pets to come inside. If the humans need to use the washroom, have one person remain with the vehicle and leave the air conditioner running and take turns heading inside so animals aren’t left alone.

Making sure Fifi and Fluffy have access to clean water and a shady spot during rest stops will keep them properly hydrated and cool.

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Buckle up!

Humans should always be wearing a seatbelt in a moving vehicle, but it’s also important for four-legged passengers to be safely secured, as well. No critters should be loose inside the vehicle, Bishop said, where they may become a hazard by distracting the driver, or potentially injured if there’s an accident.

“Precautions need to be taken that the animal’s properly secured. When it’s travelling in the vehicle, we’ve had people who travelled with their cats, open the door and the cat gets loose and gets out in the parking lot at a rest stop because it wasn’t properly contained. So it’s really important that animals be properly contained and secure while they’re in the vehicle, as well so that when you open the door, they don’t escape.”

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Bishop also noted that dogs should not be left unsecured in the back of trucks.

Some options for keeping your pet secured include crates, carriers and restraints.

Hot pavement

Bishop recommended keeping paws off hot pavement.

“We know that their pads are very sensitive and these types of surfaces can be very hot and burn the pads of their feet very, very quickly,” she said.

If your dog will tolerate boots, that can help keep their paws safe, as well as allowing them to walk on the grass. Your dog might even be trying to tell you he prefers to walk on the grass.

“I’ll be out driving, and I’ll see dogs that are pulling and pulling the owner over, trying to get over on the grass and they’re just not aware,” she said.

Keep ’em cool

When the temps are soaring, your animal is at risk of overheating. Bishop said animals can overheat quickly and it’s important to be aware of the signs.

“We ask when it’s hot to limit the amount of outdoor activity — either early in the morning or later in the evening when it’s cooler. We also ask that people keep their dog on a leash, in particular, so they’re not running excessively and overheating themselves. It’s so important that animals have access to adequate shade and to cool fresh water because it only takes a short time outside in the heat to start suffering from the effects,” she said.

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If your pet is exhibiting symptoms of overheating, it’s important to contact a vet, even if she appears to be coming around.

“There may be some underlying issues that you’re not aware of,” Bishop explained. “So, continue to seek veterinary medical attention and sure that your pet gets um the care that it needs.”

Hitting the water?

Bishop said that life jackets aren’t just for humans, and if your pet is taking part in activities on the water, a life jacket is a key piece of equipment.

“It’s really important that they have life jackets, when they’re when they’re on boats … or around any sort of water source,” she said.

Bishop also reminded pet parents to constantly supervise pets around water and “ensure that it’s a fun family event and that nothing negative happens.”

No hot pets

The annual summer campaign the Ontario SPCA holds to ensure pets aren’t left in hot cars is a pledge pet owners can take to promise not to leave their animals behind inside a vehicle. Leaving a pet in a parked car can be harmful or even deadly.

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The OSPCA website says, “On warm days, the temperature inside cars, trucks, RVs, camper trailers and other parked vehicles can rise to deadly levels within minutes, even if they’re parked in the shade or the windows are open. Animals left outside without access to shade and water are also at serious risk.”

Bishop said if someone encounters a pet left inside a vehicle, to take appropriate steps to help.

“If someone does see an animal in a vehicle unattended, they can reach out to the local police or to call provincial animal welfare services. And in the case of an emergency, they should dial 911,” she said.

As for being a hero and breaking a window? Not recommended.

“We don’t advise people to take matters into their own hands,” Bishop said. “What we ask you to do is, if you spot a an animal in a vehicle, you can have someone get the licence plate number, go inside, have someone page the owner and wait with the vehicle. Call the police or animal welfare services — depending on the situation — and just monitor the situation until the proper authorities come.”

What if the AC is running?

“If you see a dog in a car with air conditioning running, stay with if you can, at all possible, until the owner comes back to that vehicle, just so you can monitor the safety until the owner gets back.”

Not feasible to bring your pet?

“If people can’t take their animals with them when they’re going some place, we ask that they leave them at home where they’re safe and comfortable.

For more information on the No Hot Pets campaign, visit nohotpets.ca.

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