Dogs in hot cars : what should you do?

With forecasters predicting more hot weather on the way, animal welfare charities and the Police are urging people to be aware of the impact of leaving a dog in a vehicle – even for a short time.

Dog’s Trust revealed that over a quarter of UK dog owners admit to leaving their dog alone in parked cars; and it’s not suprising then that the AA have reported that their call outs to rescue dogs locked in parked cars have increased by 50% in past six years.

It only takes a few minutes for a dog to suffer the effects of being left in a vehicle – as this hard hitting video from Dog’s Trust shows:

If you see a dog in a vehicle that is in clear distress and showing signs of heatstroke follow this advice from the RSPCA:

• Dial 999
• Call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999
• Take pictures and video of the dog as evidence
• Get the name and phone number of any witnesses
• Tell the police if you intend to break the vehicle’s window, and why
• Only break the window if there is justification and you believe the owner would agree to the damage if they knew the circumstances

If the dog is not showing signs of distress:

• Try to determine how long the dog has been in the vehicle
• Note down the vehicle’s registration number
• If at a supermarket/venue/event, ask staff to make an announcement
• Call the RSPCA advice line on 0300 1234 999
• Get someone to stay with the vehicle to monitor the situation in case they begin to show signs of heatstroke
• Be prepared to dial 999 if the situation does escalate
• Consider reporting to police, even if the owner returns

 

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