Should of been 1000 : Costco trip ends in 300 disaster after couple s reckless decision outside the store. Then animal control arrives

Get the Full StoryCostco is a place where you come for bargains and leave with a trunk full of things you probably didn t need but couldn t resist. What it shouldn t be is the scene of a near-tragedy involving a dog tied up in the blazing sun because its owners thought Costco parking lot pet care was totally a thing. Spoiler: it s not. But that s exactly what happened on May 5 at the Costco in Burnaby, BC. And while most people were busy deciding between Kirkland-brand olive oil and the fancy stuff, one couple was making a series of reckless, thoughtless, downright infuriating decisions that landed them, their dog, and a red Solo cup of water in the middle of a 300 disaster. Two dog owners were fined 300 after leaving their dog tied to a car in direct sunlight while they went shopping at Costco on Monday. pic.twitter.com A9JDtZ4vf1 AccuWeather accuweather May 9, 2025 The leash was so short that the poor animal couldn t even reach shade. It was stuck in sunlight. Thankfully, Costco is not entirely populated by people who think dogs are heatproof. A concerned shopper and a Costco employee spotted the dog and did the right thing. They called Burnaby Animal Control. Enter Daniel McDonald, the officer who arrived on the scene at 4:35 p.m. Let me tell you, this guy deserves a medal for dealing with this kind of thing without losing his cool. While the dog wasn t on the brink of collapse just yet, it was clear that the situation could ve taken a tragic turn if help hadn t arrived. McDonald documented everything, took video footage, and waited for the owners to make their triumphant return. When McDonald confronted them, their excuse was as ridiculous as you d expect: It s too hot inside the car. Logic clearly wasn t invited to this Costco trip. And when asked why they didn t just leave the dog at home, the response was a dismissive, Ugh, it won t happen again. You know, the kind of answer you give when you ve been caught doing something dumb but don t actually feel bad about it. Here s where things get frustrating. For three separate bylaw violations including not having a proper dog license these owners were fined a total of 300. That s it. Three hundred bucks. For a dog s brush with heatstroke, for complete negligence, for breaking multiple laws. Honestly, they re lucky it wasn t worse. What would ve really driven the message home? A 1,000 fine. Or even better, mandatory community service at an animal shelter, where they could learn firsthand what happens to pets whose owners don t take care of them.

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