Owners reminded not to leave dogs in cars as temperatures soar

The Dogs Trust charity have said it can take as little as 20 minutes for dogs to die in hot cars.

Dan Holley, a forecaster at Weatherquest, tweeted a warning that in direct sunlight, the temperature inside a vehicle can rise by 24C in one hour. He said: 'The majority of this temperature rise occurs in the first 20 minutes - so for an outside temp of 25C, the inside temp will already reach 41C in just 20 mins, and up to 49C by 1 hour.'

What should you do if you spot a dog alone in a hot car?

How temperatures can climb inside a car on a hot day. Picture: Weatherquest (Image: Archant)

• Start by assessing the animal's condition. Are they displaying any signs of heatstroke such as heavy panting, excessive drooling or vomiting? If they are showing symptoms call 999 immediately.

• If the police are too far away you may consider taking action to free the dog. In this instance you must make sure the police are aware of your intentions and understand that you may have to defend your actions in court. Because of this you should obtain images or record footage of the dog in distress and collect the names and phone numbers of any witnesses in the area.

What does the law say?

The Criminal Damage Act of 1971 states that a person has a lawful excuse to commit damage if 'at the time of the act or acts alleged to constitute the offence he believed that the person or persons whom he believed to be entitled to consent to the destruction of or damage to the property in question had so consented, or would have so consented to it if he or they had known of the destruction or damage and its circumstances.'

Dog owners are also reminded that in such high temperatures paths and roads can become very hot and this could burn the paws of your four legged friends.