As temperatures soar, Dogs Trust UK warns 'Dogs Die in Cars'

Every year, the Dogs Trust has to remind dog owners not to leave their pet pooches in their cars and TVP West Berkshire has reinforced the campaign.

The Dogs Trust urges dog owners to think twice about any car trips with their pet.

They advise: "If you do have to travel with your dog, plan your journey. Consider travelling at cooler times of the day, identify places to take breaks, and avoid congested roads or busy times of day when you could get caught in traffic."

Their stark warning to never leave your dog in a vehicle, even with the windown wound down, is backed up by a poster campaign.

The Dogs Trust poster, which warns that a dog could die within 20 minutes if left in a hot car, has been Tweeted by the police as a reminder to dog owners to look after their pets.

Their advice to onlookers is, if you see a dog in distress in a hot car, call 999 immediately.

The Dogs Trust also regularly reminds dog owners about other precautions they should take in the extreme heat:

• Avoid walking or doing activities either indoors or outdoors with your dog at the hottest times of the day, so early morning or later in the evening is often best.
• Always take plenty of water with you when out with your dog and make sure they have access to fresh water at home at all times.
• Tarmac can get very hot in the sun – check it with your hand before letting your dog walk on it so they don’t burn their paws. Try the ‘five-second test’ – if it’s too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for your dog’s paws
• If you cannot avoid taking your dog out in the car on a hot day, even if travelling a short distance, avoid travelling during the hottest times of the day.
• Never leave your dog in a vehicle on a warm day. Not even with the window open. (Leaving your pet alone in a vehicle or tied up outside can also put them at greater risk of being stolen.)
• Use a cooling mat or wrap an ice pack or frozen water bottle in a tea towel for your pet to lie on if they wish.
• Use cold treats from the fridge for added moisture or make an ice lolly from pet-friendly ingredients.
• Don’t let your pet get sunburnt - use pet-safe sun cream.

The trust goes on to advise what to do if you spot the early signs of heatstroke, which include panting, difficulty breathing, tiredness, less keen to play, drooling and vomiting.

If you spot these signs -

• stop exercising your dog, bring them inside into a shaded and cool area or an air-conditioned car/ building and seek veterinary advice immediately.
• give your dog a drink of room temperature water, allowing them to drink small amounts.
• if your dog is conscious, start pouring small amounts of cool water onto the dog's body and re-apply water regularly until their breathing starts to settle, but not so much that they start to shiver.
• don’t use wet towels as this can restrict air flow and make the dog’s body temperature rise even further, as can happen with cooling jackets/coats.

Dogs Trust says that having fun with your dog indoors can be just as stimulating as a walk, but owners still need to be aware that they need to make sure their dogs stay cool indoors too, so choosing the coolest room in the house, staying out of direct sunlight, always having fresh water available and making sure your dog has somewhere cool to relax and sleep.

More tips and advice from the Dogs Trust here.

In August 2020, the moment Bill Morris rescued a dog from a boiling car at Newbury retail park by smashing the car window with an axe made national news headlines and serves as a reminder to keep your pets safe.