Pet patrol keeps a watchful eye on mall parking lot 

TorontoSun.com
Aug. 6, 2016
Aaron D'Andrea

The little guy has a big brother watching over him at Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre.

The Pet Patrol has been busy this scorching summer making sure no pets are being left in hot cars.

Stephen Gascoine, general manager of Vaughan Mills, told the Sun the patrol started in June 2012 after a dog died when it was left in a hot vehicle at the mall.

“We triggered it in the response to kind of a pro-active measure to encourage people to be aware of the dangers of heat,” he said. “We consider it a combination of a pro-active approach and educational experience.”

Since the program started, Gascoine said it has been well received among the public.

“We get a significant number of positive emails and calls,” he said. “By-and-large, it’s very well received even with a minor delay that could be experienced when entering the property.”

Two Pet Patrol guards are deployed at the mall’s five main entrances whenever the weather is 30 C or a heat alert is in place.

Security also patrols the lots to keep track of any cars with animals in them.

At the entrances, the guards stop vehicles, check for pets and tell the drivers the dangers of leaving pets in cars.

Also, guards are now reminding drivers entering the mall the dangers of leaving infants and the elderly in vehicles, Gascoine said.

So far, he estimates the Pet Patrol has been deployed around 25 times this summer, and said they’ve received around eight reports of animals found in cars.

“If pets are found in a vehicle, we will immediately try to contact the owner of the vehicle to return immediately, but also we will contact emergency services,” he said. “If required, we will breach the vehicle prior to emergency services arriving.”

Gascoine added neither security nor emergency services have had to breach any cars this summer.

The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) said they have received more than 500 calls since April about animals being left in hot cars.

Gascoine said the Pet Patrol will continue to “inform, educate and remind people of the dangers of leaving pets, children or elderly in vehicles during a hot day.”