Brits urged not to smash car window to save hot dogs – here’s what to do instead

DOG owners are being warned against leaving their pets in cars as UK temperatures rocket past 30C this week. There was a spike in the number of dogs left in hot cars in 2019, according to The British Veterinary Association. And it doesn’t want to see a repeat of that this year. Motors can become […]

DOG owners are being warned against leaving their pets in cars as UK temperatures rocket past 30C this week.

There was a spike in the number of dogs left in hot cars in 2019, according to The British Veterinary Association.

And it doesn’t want to see a repeat of that this year.

Motors can become very hot very quick – with the mercury inside a car able to rise 10C in just 10 minutes.

In 30 minutes it can soar 19C and in one hour a vehicle interior can shoot up by 23C.

Dogs usually start to experience heat exhaustion when their body temperature reaches 32C.

And they suffer from heatstroke when this is more than 40C.

So while It may be tempting to leave your pet on its own in a car for a few moments while you run errands, this can be dangerous – even fatal.

Even if you’ve taken precautions like parking in the shade and cracking a window, it’s still not safe.

Dogs don’t sweat like humans and only lose heat through panting.

This means that they struggle to regulate their temperature when stuck in hot spaces.

Now advice for looking after animals that are trapped in toasty vehicles has been issued by Nationwide Vehicle Contracts.

What to do if you see an animal left unattended in a car in the heat

Call for the owner and alert staff if you’re by a shop

If you see a dog alone in a car during summer, you should check to see if the owner is close.

If you’re near a shop, tell the staff and security, they’ll be able to make a shop-wide announcement to alert the owner.

Call 999

The police have the authority to break a car window to rescue an animal in danger but you should not attempt to do this yourself.

You could be fined for criminal damage or injure the animal inside the car.

Check the doors and inform the police of your intentions

Check the doors to see if the is unlocked.

If you do have to break a window to save the animal, make sure you call 999 and let the police know what you’re doing.

Take photos and videos to clearly record the situation.

You should also note down the car’s number plate and any witness details.

Matthew Reynolds, a solicitor, told Cheshire Live: “Although smashing a window to rescue a distressed dog in a locked vehicle could lead to a charge of criminal damage, you would have a lawful excuse to smash the window if you believed that the owner of the vehicle would have consented to the damage, had they been aware of the circumstances.

“It would also be a defence to a charge of criminal damage if you smashed the window to protect the owner’s property (the dog) in the belief that the dog was in need of immediate protection and that smashing the window was reasonable in the circumstances to achieve that aim.”

“If you do remove a dog from a car, tell the police what you intend to do and why. It would also be a good idea to take photographs or video of the dog and contact details of any witnesses to the incident.”

He added that you could also technically be charged with theft but, in the circumstances, its “hard to see” how you could be prosecuted successfully on that basis.