BC SPCA and Chilliwack RCMP launch campaign to keeps pets safe in vehicles

July 15, 2009. For immediate release.

Every year countless animals are killed or injured in B.C. because they are not properly restrained while traveling in vehicles. "The problem is particularly dangerous when guardians let their dogs ride unrestrained in the back of a pick-up truck," said Lorie Chortyk, general manager of community relations for the BC SPCA. "Tragically, BC SPCA animal protection officers and local veterinarians receive many emergency calls every year to help badly injured dogs thrown from the back of a pick-up or strangled to death when they fell over the side of a truck. It is a heartbreaking situation because these deaths are completely preventable if proper precautions are taken to secure their pet in their vehicle."

To address this issue, the BC SPCA and the RCMP launched a joint awareness campaign today in Chilliwack to educate pet guardians on safe and responsible ways to transport their animals. The RCMP in Chilliwack will be watching for unsecured pets in vehicles as the campaign unfolds. "Many people are unaware that under Section 72 of the Motor Vehicle Act it is illegal to transport an unsecured pet in the back of a truck," says RCMP Corporal Bruce Abbott, NCO in charge of the Traffic Unit in Chilliwack. If an unrestrained pet is injured or killed in an accident, individuals may also face charges of animal cruelty under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

The Pet Safety project was successfully piloted in Prince George in 2006 and has been implemented in other communities across B.C. since then. The campaign includes RCMP ticketing of vehicles with unsecured pets in the back of trucks, public service announcements on the proper way to safely transport your pet and an informational flyer that will distributed through the RCMP, community policing offices, the BC SPCA and other community outlets, such as truck dealerships, veterinary offices, and pet supply stores.

Ivanna Ferris, manager of the BC SPCA Chilliwack Branch, notes that while it is not illegal to have an unrestrained animal in the interior of a car, it can still be harmful for both pets and humans. "Driving with an unrestrained pet is both distracting and dangerous and puts drivers and their passengers at an increased risk for collision." She notes that in the event of a collision, unrestrained pets can become dangerous projectiles, potentially causing serious injury to themselves and others. In fact, a 50-pound pet, when traveling in a vehicle at 50 km/h, has the weight of approximately one ton if a crash occurs.

The BC SPCA-RCMP campaign in Chilliwack will urge pet guardians to take the following steps when transporting their animals:

• Keep your pet inside the vehicle. Use a secured crate or dog seatbelt to restrain your pet;
• If you must transport your pet in the back of a truck, use a secured crate in the centre of the truck box; or
• Tether your dog with secure and short harness to ensure safety from strangulation and death.

For more information:

Lorie Chortyk, general manager, community relations, BC SPCA, 604-647-1316;

Ivanna Ferris, manager, Chilliwack Branch, 604-823-6612;

Eileen Drever, senior animal protection officer, BC SPCA, 604-834-7854.

The BC SPCA is a non-profit organization funded primarily by public donations. Our mission is to prevent cruelty and to promote the welfare of animals through a wide range of services, including cruelty investigations, emergency rescue and treatment, sheltering and adoption of homeless and abused animals, humane education, advocacy, farm animal welfare, spay/neuter programs, and wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.