Exeter police are urging pet owners not to leave their dogs in hot cars during the heat, warning that they have been called to three incidents in the area already today.
Concerned members of the public have already been contacting the emergency services today after seeing distressed dogs left inside warm vehicles.
Police were called out to Magdalen Street in Exeter this morning after calls from two memebrs of the public reporting two Labradors in the back of a car. Police heard that the dogs were in the back of an Audi 'without water and not much air'.
The owner was located and police issued them with advice.
Another call was made to Lloyds Crescent in Whipton after reports of a collie in distress in the back of a car. Police attended the scene but the car had left on arrival.
In a third incident two collies were released from a boot in Newton Abbot.
The RSPCA is keen to remind the public that they may be risking their dog's life by leaving it in a hot car for even a short period of time.
Dogs Trust, the UK's largest dog welfare charity, has launched a campaign to warn dog owners of the dangers of leaving their pets in parked cars, even for a few minutes.
With more hot weather expected this summer, and more people taking to the road with their dogs, Dogs Trust aims to highlight this urgent and dangerous issue before more beloved pets suffer.
Research unveiled as part of Dogs Trust's campaign shows that despite being a nation of dog lovers, more than one in four UK dog owners admitted to leaving their dogs unattended in cars. Almost half (48%) believe it is okay to leave a dog in a car if counter-measures are taken, such as parking under a tree or leaving a window open. Unfortunately, this is a myth - in reality partially lowering the window has no significant effect on the temperature inside a parked car.
Under 20 minutes in a hot car can prove fatal to a dog should its body temperature exceed 41°C. As the temperature inside the car rises, in just a matter of minutes, the dog's suffering will become evident through excessive panting, whimpering or barking. This will develop into a loss of muscle control and ultimately the kidneys will cease to function, the brain will become irreversibly damaged and the heart will stop.
Dogs Trust have created this time-lapse video in support of their campaign, featuring a melting ice sculpture of a dog locked in a car.
Anyone who wants to report an incident is asked to call the police on 101.
