A1 Clutches supports the RSPCA and Dogs Trust campaigns to help protect dogs from suffering from the heat when left in a vehicle on a warm day. Never leave your dog alone in a car on a warm day. 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.
On a warm day your vehicle can become as hot as an oven very quickly, even though it may not feel that warm. When it’s 22 degrees, in a car it can reach an unbearable 47 degrees within an hour.
How to Help a Dog in a Hot Car
Establish the animal’s health/condition. If they’re displaying any signs of heat-stroke dial 999 Immediately.
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.
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 circumstances (section 5(2)(a) Criminal Damage Act 1971).
Advice to Motorists
Never leave your dog alone in the car – even if it seems cool outside it can become very hot very quickly. Parking in the shade and/or keeping the windows down does not make it safe!
Make sure you keep your dog as cool as possible when driving: avoid travelling during the heat of the day, use sun blinds on the windows and consider opening a window a little to allow a cooling breeze to circulate in the vehicle.
Make sure you have a supply of water and know where you can stop off on route for water breaks. Dogs are not able to cool down as effectively as humans so could suffer from heat stroke and dehydration very quickly.
If you see a distressed dog in a vehicle please call 999, or the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999 or the Scottish SPCA on 03000 999 999.