Dog owners are being urged not to leave their pets in cars – as temperatures soar into the mid-thirties as the UK is gripped by a heatwave.
The RSPCA is urging people never to leave a pet in car on a warm day and is asking anyone who sees a dog in distress in a car to call 999.
The temperature in cars can quickly rise to fatal levels for animals left inside.
Over the years there have been many cases of people who have spotted dogs in distress in cars, smashing the windows to release the animal and take it to safety.
An RSPCA spokesman said: “Many people still believe that it's ok to leave a dog in a car on a warm day if the windows are left open or they're parked in the shade.
“But the truth is, it's still a very dangerous situation for the dog.
“A car can become as hot as an oven very quickly, even when it doesn't feel that warm.
“When it's 22C, in a car it can reach an unbearable 47 degrees within the hour.”
Call the police and then the RSPCA
If you see a dog in distress in a hot car the first course of action should be to call the police and then the RSPCA.
Without the police in attendance, the RSPCA have no powers of entry.
If the situation seems as if it's becoming critical such as the animal is drooling heavily, is lethargic, uncoordinated, collapsed or vomiting and the police can't attend, your instinct may be to smash the window.
However, anyone planning to do this needs to be aware it may be classed as criminal damage.
There are a few things which can be done to mitigate the situation though if a decision is taken to act.
These including making sure to tell the police of your intentions and take photos or footage of the dog as well as names and numbers of witnesses.
The law states that you have a lawful excuse to commit damage if you believe that the owner of the property that you damage would consent to the damage if they knew the circumstance..
