Local businesses may be squandering an opportunity when it comes to attracting pet owners to their shops.
Residents are constantly reminded to not leave animals inside of hot vehicles. However, according to officials with the Ontario SPCA, it's still a constant issue across the province.
The OSPCA is currently running the "No Hot Pets" campaign, which includes a business registry.
Inspector Brandon James says it's where businesses can register online to let the public know pets are allowed at their location. Those who register are also given a sign to display in their window that they are indeed pet-friendly.
"The business portion of the campaign started a few years ago and has been kind of tweaked over time to make it a little bit easier for businesses and pet-owners," he says.
Officials with the OSPCA say no Chatham-Kent businesses have signed up on their registry so far. This doesn't mean all stores within the municipality have a "No Pets" rule, but it means they haven't registered and are perhaps missing out.
"It allows [businesses] to notify their customers 'it's safe to bring your pet in, it's welcomed, and you don't have to make that choice to leave them in a hot vehicle,'" says James.
The reason why Chatham-Kent businesses aren't registering may simply be because they don't know about the campaign. James says they are starting to notice some new businesses on the registry, but it's something seen more so at popular tourist locations.
Being told over and over not to leave pets inside of hot vehicles may seem repetitive to some, however, James says it needs to be repeated because "unfortunately people are still not getting the message".
James stresses that pets left in a hot vehicle should be reported to police or animal control officials, not dealt with on a personal level.