A pet owner was hit with the maximum fine after police and animal control officials rescued a dog from a hot car in downtown Victoria.
Officers were called to Cook Street and Pandora Avenue Wednesday afternoon when a bystander alerted a foot patrol officer of the dog in a sedan parked on Pandora Avenue near Cook Street.
The bystander said the dog had been left in the car, with one window partially opened, for at least an hour.
No water was left in the vehicle and the car was not parked in the shade, according to police.
Animal control arrived and jimmied open the car door to get the small white dog out of the vehicle.
The dog appeared to be fine, and the owner arrived just as police had opened the car door, according to witnesses.
The owner was issued a maximum fine of $200 for not giving the animal protection from the sun, and another $250 ticket for not leaving water inside the vehicle.
Animal control told CTV Vancouver Island it would consider referring the matter to the BC SPCA for a cruelty investigation.
Temperatures in downtown Victoria were forecast to reach 21 degrees Wednesday, and even warmer weather of up to 26 degrees was expected Sunday.
