by Joe Jeffrey
New initiative launched to prevent heat exposure for our four-legged friends
The RSPCA has teamed with a number of organisations across the UK to launch a new campaign aimed at the dangers associated with leaving dogs in hot cars.
New initiative, ‘Dogs Die in Hot Cars’, has been launched in an attempt to drive down the number of calls made to the RSPCA in relation to dogs being left in hot cars over the summer period. The move comes following the announcement that 230 call-outs were made relating to dogs being left in hot cars during 2015 – a rise from 223 in the previous year. Furthermore, the number of calls made to the RSPCA relating to dogs suffering from heat exposure from within the confines of vehicles, conservatories and caravans totalled 8,779 across the same 2015 period.
RSPCA spokesperson, Rachel Butler, said: “In an emergency, it is best to dial 999 and report a dog in a hot car to police.
“The RSPCA may not be able to attend quickly enough and, with no powers of entry, we’d need police assistance at such an incident.
“If the animal is displaying any sign of heatstroke – such as panting heavily, drooling excessively, is lethargic or uncoordinated, or collapsed and vomiting – call 999 immediately.
“If the situation becomes critical and police can’t attend, many people’s instinct is to break into the car to free the dog,” Butler continued. “But please be aware that, without proper justification, this could be classed as criminal damage. Make sure you 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 circumstances.
“Once removed from the car, move the dog to a shaded/cool area and douse him/her with cool water. Allow the dog to drink small amounts of cool water.
“If the dog isn’t displaying signs of heatstroke, establish how long the dog has been in the car and make a note of the registration. Ask a member of staff to make an announcement of the situation over the tannoy, if possible, and get someone to stay with the dog to monitor its condition.”
Do you take your pets away on holiday with you when you hit the road? Let us know how you make sure they are comfortable in the heat in the comments below.
