Police issue information in relation to dogs in hot cars

Information in relation to what to do if you see a dog in a car on a hot day has been issued by Rochdale Police.

Many people still believe that it is ok to leave a dog in a car on a warm day, if the windows are left open or if they are parked in the shade. But the truth is that it is still a very dangerous situation for the dog.

What to do if you see a dog in a hot car:

• Establish the animal's health/condition. If they're displaying any signs of heatstroke dial 999 immediately.
• If the situation becomes critical for the dog, 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.
• Ring 999 and make sure that 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.
• 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.

Under the Animal Welfare Act pet owners have a legal duty to care for their animals, which includes preventing suffering. Penalties are a fine of up to £20,000 and/or up to six months in prison.