Officials soon will post two signs in New Canaan warning motorists not to leave dogs in motor vehicles on hot days.
Two of these signs are going up in downtown New Canaan. Photo published with owner’s permission
An initiative of Police Chief Leon Krolikowski, the ‘Heat Kills’ signs are to be posted in two municipal lots as early as this week.
Police each year get “several calls” about dogs in cars, Krolikowski said.
“People are pretty diligent in town, but sometimes people leave animals in cars and they shouldn’t,” he said. “New Canaan fortunately has not had a tragedy in recent years but we’ve seen it happen and we want to remind people to not leave dogs in cars, especially when the weather is like it has been lately.”
One sign likely will be posted in Morse Court, the other in the Playhouse Lot, the chief said. Krolikowski said the idea for the signs came to him when he saw one on a street in another town “and I thought it was a great idea.”
The signs include a note that ‘If you love ‘em … don’t leave ‘em.”
They’re posting is timely.
Last Wednesday, police in Greenwich charged a Wilton woman with animal cruelty after she left her dog in a hot car for an estimated 30 minutes in Cos Cob, according to the Greenwich Free Press. On Thursday, a 4-year-old boy died after he’d been left in a hot car in West Haven, according to WTNH. A 2-year-old brother also was in the car and has been hospitalized.
Headline should be “not to leave children or pets in hot cars” … people count as much as dogs!