The FINANCIAL — Over 66% of people have seen a dog locked in a car on a sunny day yet over a third of them did nothing about it. The UK may be a nation of dog lovers, but it seems they are still putting man’s best friend at risk as a survey by Dogs Trust, reveals.
With temperatures easily reaching over 40 degrees in some parked vehicles, dogs could die within minutes so Dogs Trust joins forces with the AA to target motorists and visitors with their “Hot Cars Can Kill Dogs” awareness campaign, according to the Automobile Association Limited.
The survey also reveals that 15% of those questioned called the police when they saw a dog locked in the car, 49% tried to alert the driver and 4% actually broke into the car to rescue the dog.
Over the last year AA patrols have rescued 1000 pets locked in cars and in recent years there have been several high profile cases of canine fatalities.
“It is shocking to see that so many people consider leaving their dog in the car, whatever the weather," said Paula Boyden, Dogs Trust Veterinary Director. "You wouldn’t leave your child in the car. Given how quickly the temperature can rise, it is equally unfathomable that you would leave your pet. We are delighted to be working with the AA to use the combined force of our members to spread the word and prevent any further dog deaths this summer. 35% of people who have seen a dog locked in a car have decided to do nothing, but our advice is, if you see it, report it!” added Boyden.
“The dangers are obvious, you just have to touch the dashboard or seats to know how hot the inside of a car can get, said Tony Rich, AA patrol of the year. "But it's not just on warm days when dogs are at risk – vehicles can be death-traps even in cooler temperatures. So, if you are carrying a dog in the car, plan in some stops, take plenty of drinking water for it and check traffic reports – you want to minimise the time sitting in traffic,” he added.
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