PDSA Vet Olivia Anderson-Nathan said: “Dogs can only sweat through their paws, so they mainly rely on panting to cool them down. This means when the air is baking hot around them, they can’t cool down very well. Trapped in a hot car, dogs can quickly succumb to heatstroke, which can be fatal without urgent medical attention. Even if they don’t get heatstroke, imagine how painful, distressing and frightening it must be for them being trapped and overheating.

“Parked in the shade with the windows open, a car can quickly heat up like an oven, even when it doesn’t feel that warm outside. On a mild summer day of around 22°C, a car parked in the sun can reach a temperature of over 47°C within just an hour – dangerous for humans and dogs to be trapped in. In hotter weather, cars can even heat up to 60°C. So our message is clear: ‘not long’ is too long.”

Holly Barber, Campaign Manager at RSPCA, said: “It’s extremely concerning that despite all of our campaigning, dog owners are still ignoring our warnings and risking their pets’ lives by leaving them alone in cars on warm days.

“How many more dogs need to die before people realise that that split second decision - usually made due to convenience - could have a life-changing consequence?”


What to do if you see a dog in a car on a hot day

Signs of heatstroke can include

  • panting heavily
  • drooling excessively
  • becoming distressed
  • appearing drowsy, lethargic or uncoordinated
  • vomiting

Once removed from the car, it’s necessary to give first aid to cool a dog with heatstroke down, but not so quickly that they go into shock. Move the dog to a shaded area and douse them with lukewarm (not cold) water. Allow the dog to drink small amounts of room temperature water. Keep cooling them until they come round and their breathing settles, then tell the owner to have them to be checked by a vet, even if they seem normal.