Firefighters save dog left in boiling car with no windows open

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Firefighters were forced to break into a boiling car and rescue a dog after owners left him alone with no windows open in a supermarket car park.

Cockapoo Bertie was left in direct sunlight on the roof level of a multi-storey car park, as temperatures rose to a sweltering 30°C on Friday.

Officials were forced to step in after Waitrose staff, at Saffron Walden, in Essex, couldn’t find the owner who was shopping in the store.

The firefighters said little Bertie was found ‘in distress due to the intense heat’ and have informed police over the incident.

They added the little dog was lucky to be alive, as had they not been alerted by supermarket staff, he wouldn’t have survived.

Charity DogsTrust warns pets can die in just 20 minutes if left in a hot car, even if the windows are left open.

Saffron Walden Fire Station is now urging pet owners to keep their animals’ safety and welfare in mind, as the UK sees its hottest day of the year today.

Firefighters also thanked Waitrose staff for trying to find Bertie’s owner and giving him water after he was rescued.

In the Facebook post they wrote: ‘Today we rescued a Cokerpoo [sic] Dog called Bertie from the top deck of Waitrose multi story park car in SW by
breaking a window to release him.

‘The dog was in distress due to the intense heat within a parked car in direct sunlight with no open windows. Please always keep your pet’s welfare and safety in mind particularly during this hot spell.

‘With the recent high profile incident in Saffron Walden we are surprised the message is still not getting through when it comes to leaving children and pets in hot vehicles.

‘Thankfully Bertie survived to tell the tale! We thank Waitrose staff for their support with trying to help locate the owner and for providing much needed water for Bertie.

‘The incident has been reported to Essex Police.’

Can you legally smash someone’s windows to rescue a dog from a hot car?

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We could be in for a week of record-breaking heat as the days reach more than 35°C and the nights stay as high as 25°C.

Health chiefs have warned people to look out for relatives and neighbours as the heatwave sends temperatures soaring.

But the hot days can be just as dangerous for pets.

Every summer there are multiple cases of dogs being left in hot cars, which leads to them suffering from severe heatstroke or even death.

It takes less than an hour for the temperature inside a car – even with a window open – to more than double when it is just 22°C outside.

This could prove fatal for your beloved dogs. So as temperatures are expected to exceed 32°C in some parts of the UK today, drivers are reminded – don’t leave your dogs in the car.

Is it legal for someone to smash your car windows if they see a dog inside?

If a dog is showing signs of heatstroke and is trapped in a car, the RSPCA recommends calling 999 in an emergency, as only the police have the power to force entry.

The Animal Welfare Act of 2006 states that only a local authority inspector or a PC has the power to enter a premises to assist an animal that is likely to be suffering.

A member of the public who breaks someone’s car window is not protected under the law and could be subjected to an investigation for criminal damage.

Are there any exceptions?

Yes – under the 1971 Criminal Damage Act, someone has a lawful excuse to commit criminal damage if they believe the owner of the property would consent to it under the circumstances.

If you do smash a stranger’s window in order to save their pet, you must be prepared to defend your actions.

How to legally protect yourself if you think you need to smash a window

If you are at a shopping centre or supermarket, note down the colour, model and registration number of the car and ask customer services to put out an announcement to get the owner’s attention.

Check the doors of the car, as owners may leave the car unlocked in case the dog sets off the car alarm.

But if these measures don’t work and the situation becomes critical it may become necessary to break one of the windows.

To protect yourself: Make sure you tell police of your intentions to break the car window, take photos and footage of the dog in the car and take names and contact numbers of witnesses.

What to do once you’re in

If the dog is not showing any signs of heatstroke, try and determine how long it has already been trapped in the car, like looking at a pay and display ticket or asking people around you.

If you must resort to smashing a window, remove the dog from the car, lay it in the shade and allow it to drink small amounts of water.

Douse it in cool – not freezing – water to avoid shock, or lay wet towels over it and seek immediate veterinary assistance.

Heavy panting

Excessive drooling

Lethargy and drowsiness

Loss of coordination

Collapsed Vomiting

Today, temperatures are expected to reach up to 32°C and later this week the UK could experience its hottest day on record – so owners are reminded that leaving dogs in hot cars could be fatal.

On very hot days, it can also be dangerous to take dogs on walks as they may run around too much and become overheated.

This happened to American Bulldog Finlay who was saved from the brink of death due to severe heatstroke when he went on a short walk recently.

Despite his owner bringing plenty of water on the walk and making sure he didn’t run for too long, the one-year-old’s temperature rose to a life-threatening 42.2°C during the walk in the park near his home in Glasgow.

Vets were able to save him in time but the Dogs Trust has issued guidance on making sure your pets are okay on walks and keeping them cool in the sizzling heat.

Is leaving a dog in the car with the window open a crack that dangerous?

Someone told me leaving my dog in the car with the windows cracked while I do a quick errand is dangerous. It was barely like 75 degrees out. Really??

I do not believe I am a troll thank you. I’m a hard working good person who left my dog once in the car for less than 5 minutes with all four windows rolled down at least 5 inches. I will never do it again.

17 Answers

It is extremely dangerous and most people don’t know this.

Pleas read this informative article on the topic put out by the ASPCA (link to article under «sources»):

«»Automobile temperatures can very quickly rise to dangerous levels; the average temperature increase in a parked car is 40 degrees, and the majority of this increase occurs in the first 15 to 30 minutes,» says Dr. Louise Murray, Vice President of ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital. When it’s 80 degrees outside, your car will be a staggering 114 degrees after 30 minutes!»

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER! The inside of a car is way more hot than the outside temp. And, not to mention it is most likely against the law where you live.

We just had Rottweiler pass away from heat exhuastion about a week ago in our area because the owner went shopping and left the windows cracked. The vehicle was entered by the police and animal control and the poor animal never lived to see the vet.

A newsreporter did a test by putting a big, thick steak on a dashboard of a car. In about 2 hours the steak was cooked to a medium well. What does that tell you?

it’s not the actual heat, it’s the rays of the sun. Even when it’s not hot, the rays of the sun heat up the inside and the heat doesn’t come out, like a green house. So yes it is dangerous. You should never leave your dog alone inside a car. And even if it weren’t dangerous, if a cop or a concerned dog lover sees them in the car alone they will easily get you arrested or have to pay a nasty fine

And remember dogs don’t sweat, so if they get hot the only way they’ll cool down is by panting so it’s pretty slow, and they have thick fur unless it’s hairless.

Try this. YOU put on your sweater and your winter coat. Then crack the window and sit there in the car for 20 minutes. Your dog will also be moving around making itself hotter, so what you’re feeling is still not everything the dog is feeling.

Pet owner cited for leaving dog in hot car with windows down

TULAROSA, N.M. (KRQE) – A New Mexico woman was outraged after finding a dog in a truck, with its owner nowhere in sight. The windows were down, but the owner was still cited.

“You feel helpless because you can’t always do anything about it,” said Sunny Aris.

Aris says she sees it all the time. Wednesday afternoon was no different after she found a dog left in a truck in a Tularosa grocery store parking lot while the owner was inside shopping.

“I’m looking at this very expensive truck, and look who is inside. It’s 90 degrees,” you can hear Aris saying in a Facebook live video.

Aris runs a local no-kill rescue group. She immediately called police, but to her disappointment, they didn’t do anything about it.

“The officer came and said, ‘Oh, well, the window is open. That’s not against the law.’ I said, ‘Yes sir, it is.’ He said, ‘No, it’s not,’ and he kind of waved me away,” said Aris.

However, after some further research, the officer came back and did charge the owner with animal cruelty.

“He compared things he found online and learned about the dangers of the interior temperature of the car, even with the windows down,” said Tularosa Police Chief Chuck Woods.

Chief Woods says under city law, the owner needs to provide adequate and appropriate conditions for the animal, and it’s ultimately up to the responding officer to enforce the law on a case-by-case basis.

In this case, the officer ultimately determined the animal was in danger.

“I want my officers to do the job right. If they find there are other factors to consider and new information comes to light, they have a responsibility to go back and make it right,” said Wood.

Meanwhile, Aris says she hopes this incident raises awareness about the dangers of leaving pets in hot cars.

“If the outside is 100 degrees, the inside of your car can be 140 degrees. If you wouldn’t feel comfortable sitting in your car without air conditioning, without wearing a fur coat, then don’t subject your dog to sitting in the car,” said Aris.

The woman claims the officer also later called and apologized for the confusion.

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Ackerman Toyota

Official Blog

Is there a safe temperature for leaving your dog in the car?

Families with dogs understand that they quickly become an important part of the family. It is natural to want to take them everywhere with you, especially on car rides which a lot of dogs enjoy. Most dog owners know that leaving a dog inside a hot car on a summer day can be fatal. But, are there cooler temperatures that are safe for bringing your dog along? Unfortunately, the answer is not really. Just like cars can heat up quickly in the summer, they also start dropping temperatures rapidly in the cooler weather leaving your dog susceptible to freezing temps. It is important to recognize that dogs respond to temperature differently than humans so hot and cold temperatures that may be bearable to you could be causing your dog to suffer. Another option many dog owners consider in attempts to bring their dog along on trips is to leave the windows down. So, will leaving your dog in the car with the windows rolled down be enough to protect them? Find out below.

Can I leave my dog in the car with the windows rolled down?

While leaving the windows down for your dog seems like an easy solution to the problem, unfortunately, it doesn’t help to keep the car as cool as you might think. Many dog owners have left their pups in the car with a water bowl and the windows cracked to disastrous results. Leaving the windows open in your car with a doggie passenger also has some other unexpected consequences. If you leave your window open wide enough, you leave an opportunity for your dog to hop out. You also give other people in the surrounding area access to your vehicle and to your pet which is not a safe practice.

Is it illegal?

While the suffering of your pet should be motivation enough to not leave them in a car unattended, there are animal cruelty laws that could land you a ticket or more if your dog is found unattended in your car and suffering. We suggest that if you want to bring your dog along that you also bring an extra passenger that can sit in the car with the dog while you run into the store.

Keep following the Ackerman Toyota blog for answers to your automotive questions. Do you have something you would like us to answer in a future post? Leave us a comment below!