Owner who regularly leaves dog in hot van given warning after police find animal distressed in 'unbearable' heat

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A driver has been given a stark warning from police after he left his dog "distressed and in desperate need of a drink of water" in a hot car.

It is believed the dog had already been left for around an hour when police arrived - with the potential for inside temperature to reach as much as 47 degrees during that time.

The "visibly distressed" dog was quickly rescued by PC Chloe Jenkins, who smashed the window to the vehicle in Chippenham.

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Police were called to the car park in Gladstone Road, around 2.25pm on Tuesday 16 June by a concerned member of the public.

A parking ticket showed an hour had already passed - and the driver did not return for another 45 minutes.

PC Jenkins added: “At approximately 2.30pm, the temperature in Chippenham was 22 degrees – when it is this warm outside, temperatures inside a vehicle can reach 47 degrees within the hour. This is unbearable heat for a dog and this dog in particular was clearly distressed and in desperate need of a drink of water.

"Please do not risk the lives of your pets. It is extremely disappointing to be called to incidents of this nature – we are a nation of dog lovers after all so please think carefully about your actions and leave your dog at home when heading out in your vehicle even if you don’t intend on going out for long as plans can change and temperatures can increase dramatically during the day.”

The owner of the dog is being referred to the RSPCA.