Dog tied to SUV in Burnaby Costco parking lot prompts BC SPCA investigation
The BC SPCA has confirmed that it has opened an investigation into the incident involving a dog that was tied up to the back of a vehicle and left out in warm weather at a Burnaby Costco parking lot last week.
On Monday, May 5, a Costco patron spotted a dog tethered to the back of an SUV parked at 4500 Still Creek Dr. The dog’s leash appeared to be very short, and it had little protection from the sun.
They started filming and contacted the City of Burnaby Animal Control and the Burnaby SPCA and also provided the dog with some water.
The footage shows an animal control officer talking to two people identified in the video as the dog’s guardians, who returned from their shopping trip.
The officer questioned them, asking why they left their dog tethered to their vehicle.
vancityevents2025/TikTok
One of them said it was “too hot inside the car” and that they could “not bring [the dog] in Costco.”
They then assured the officer that “it will not happen next time.”
The officer then asked why the dog wasn’t dropped off at home instead of being left tied up to the car while its owners shopped.
“The reason we take it so seriously is ’cause we see animals die from this often. Far too often,” said the officer.
City of Burnaby previously confirmed with Daily Hive that its animal control department attended the scene and issued the guardians $300 in fines.
“The dog was tethered in direct sunlight and unable to access shade due to the short length of the tether,” City of Burnaby public affairs and media relations manager Chris Bryan said to Daily Hive at the time.
“The dog, which lacked visible identification, was panting heavily but not in immediate distress.”
In a statement to Daily Hive, the BC SPCA confirmed that this is an “open and ongoing investigation” and could not comment further at this time.
While the dog’s guardians said they would not repeat their behaviour, it appears that it has happened at least once before.
Shortly after the Costco video was released, another TikToker posted a video of what looks to be the same dog, tied to the back of the same SUV, left in a parking lot on another day, in colder weather.
Daily Hive reached out to the person who posted that video for more information, but did not receive a response before time of publication.