ROAD SAFETY AND breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist is urging pet owners to ensure their animals are safe and comfortable on car journeys this week. The call comes as forecasters are predicting temperatures in the low 30s in some parts of the country by the weekend.

If a dog becomes ill or dies inside a car, the owner may face a charge of animal cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, warns GEM. This offence can bring a prison sentence of up to six months in custody and/or a fine of up to £20,000.

A car’s interior can become hotter than the outside temperature, and veterinary surgeons warn of the threat of heatstroke within the space of a few minutes. There is risk of collapse and death within 20 minutes.

GEM head of road safety James Luckhurst warned of the risks. “Leaving a dog in a car with no ventilation is dangerous - even if just for a few minutes - because the temperature inside a parked vehicle rises quickly.

“Dogs are unable to regulate their body temperature in the way that humans do; their usual method of panting doesn’t work when the temperature is too hot. That’s why, if you see a dog in a hot car and it appears to be distressed or suffering from the symptoms of heatstroke, seek help immediately by dialling 999 and asking for the police.”

GEM has compiled a short checklist designed to ensure dogs stay safe and comfortable on car journeys:

  • Leave your dog at home on warm days.
  • If you do need to transport your dog, bring plenty of fresh drinking water, and a bowl. Ensure your dog is able to stay cool on a journey.
  • Don't let your dog travel unrestrained. Instead, use a proper travel basket or crate to create a safer space. Dog seatbelts and travel harnesses are also available.
  • If you suspect the dog might be too hot, then you will need to stop somewhere safe and give them a good drink of water. Animals are unable to sweat in the way that humans can. Dogs cool themselves by panting and sweating through their paws, so if you have left your dog in the car on a hot day, it only takes a few minutes for them to succumb to the symptoms of heatstroke.
  • If you suspect your dog is developing heatstroke on a journey, stop somewhere safe and take them into the shade or to somewhere cool. However, if signs of heat exhaustion become apparent (for example excessive thirst, heavy panting, rapid pulse, fever, vomiting, glazed eyes, dizziness), you should go straight to a veterinary surgeon.
  • If you see a pet in a vehicle on a hot day, take immediate action. For example, if you’re in a supermarket, roadside service area or garden centre car park, note the car make, model, colour and registration number, then go inside and ask for an announcement to be made. If this doesn’t bring the owner out, or you’re in a location where finding the owner is impossible, then dial 999 and ask for the police.