Police called to dogs left in hot cars five times this bank holiday
Police were called out to dogs trapped in hot cars five times over the bank holiday weekend.
As the temperature soared, police were warning pet owners not to leave their dogs in cars.
West Mercia Police saidit was called to five reports of dogs shut in cars by concerned members of the public alerted them to the series of incidents over the weekend, one of which was in a Ludlow supermarket car park.
The situation was resolved before the police got to the scene. Nathan Pauley, supervisor in the force control room, said it was worrying that people still leave pets in hot cars.
He said: “We had five incidents this weekend where people have reported dogs being left in cars. One was in Ludlow, the rest were in the area West Mercia Police covers.
“The one in Ludlow was in a supermarket car park on Saturday, but the issue had been resolved before officers got to the scene, the owner returned to the vehicle. We’re now trying to educate people not to do it as is set to be a very hot few days.”
Figures from the RSPCA show that when it is 22C outside, the temperature can reach up to 47C in a car within an hour.
The charity said that even with windows left open or if the car is parked in the shade it can still be very dangerous for pets.
It says that pet owners should never leave dogs alone in cars on a warm day.
A spokesman for the charity 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 22 degrees, in a car it can reach an unbearable 47 degrees within the hour.
“If the situation becomes critical for the dog and the police are too far away/unable to attend, many people’s instinct will be to break into the car to free the dog. If you decide to do this, please be aware that without proper justification, this could be classed as criminal damage. and, potentially, you may need to defend your actions in court
“Make sure you tell the police what you intend to do, why, and take images/footage of the dog and the names and numbers of witnesses to the incident.” It recommends that peoplemembers of the public can call its cruelty line for advice any time on 0300 1234 999, but that if the dog is in danger, dialling 999 should always be the first step.
For more information visit rspca.org.uk/adviceandwel fare/pets/dogs/health/dogsinhotcars.
