Distressed dog left in caravan for hours in Truro 'could have died'

A dog's owners have been told off after leaving their pet alone for more than three hours in a caravan parked in Truro.

Devon and Cornwall Police were called on the afternoon of Thursday 22 July to reports of a dog being "in distress" in a carpark on Pydar Street.

Onlookers said the dog "would have certainly died" without help because of the heat.

Passersby noticed the dog struggling - temperatures this week have reached as high as 32 degrees in parts of Cornwall, hotter than Australia and Florida.

Initially, police found the windows to be open and the vehicle was in the shade so they decided to wait for the owners to return based on the carpark ticket time.

When the owners did not return, police gained entry to the vehicle.

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "Police were called at around 12:45pm yesterday to Pydar Street, Truro, following reports of a dog located within a vehicle which appeared to be distressed.

"The owners returned to the vehicle shortly before 4pm and were given strong words of advice by officers.

"RSPCA advice says people should never leave their dog alone in a car on a warm day. It says if you see a dog in distress in a hot car, dial 999."

The charity states: "Many people still believe it's ok to leave a dog in a car on a warm day with the windows left open, or they're parked in the shade. But the truth is, it's still a very dangerous situation. "A car can become as hot as an oven very quickly, even when it doesn't feel that warm. When it's 22 degrees, in a car it can reach an unbearable 47 degrees within the hour."