I am often asked if it is OK to
leave a dog in the car while your pop into a shop for 5 minutes. My answer is always ‘no’.
·
Your car interior heats up quickly, so will your
dog.
·
Your 5 minutes in the shop is never just 5
minutes: You can’t find what you want; there is a queue to pay; the assistant
has a customer who needs help; you bump into a pal and have a chat; your 5
minutes soon becomes 10, 15 or even 20 minutes.
·
While it is not illegal to leave your dog in a
car, if they become ill or die because of the heat you can be charged with an
offence of animal cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which may result in
a fine or imprisonment.
·
A dog unattended in a car is a magnet for
opportunistic dog thieves.
Please, please, please, take your
dog home, give them a safe, cool space, fresh water and then go back to the
shop. Isn’t your dog’s life worth the
extra few minutes this will take?