What penalty should dog owners face for leaving their pets in hot cars?

The UK saw record breaking temperatures on Tuesday as a heatwave gripped the country at the start of this week. People were urged to be cautious as a 'threat to life' warning was issued.

But extreme heat can present a danger to our pets as well as humans. MyLondon reported on a dog nearly dying of heatstroke despite being in shade with plenty of water.

Owners who leave dogs in boiling cars during hot weather can also put their pets' welfare at risk. While the act of leaving a dog in a hot car is not an offence in itself, if a dog was to become ill or die from it then an owner could be charged with animal cruelty offences.

We want to know your thoughts on what kind of penalties owners should face for leaving their pets stuck in a hot vehicle.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

If you do see a dog trapped in a car on a hot day, the RSPCA has issued advice for what to do.

It includes using a 'pay and display' ticket to work out how long a dog has been in the car, asking staff at a shop or venue to try and alert the owner over a loudspeaker or even phoning the police in some circumstances.

When it comes to freeing dogs from a car, according to the RSPCA website you can legally "commit damage if you believe the car owner would consent to it if they knew the dog was in danger". However, you may need to defend your actions in court as it could be classed as criminal damage.

What kind of penalty do you think dog owners should face for leaving their dogs in cars? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

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