What can I do to help dogs trapped in hot cars

The other day I was out and happened to notice a dog trapped in a car on a very hot day. The window was open a fraction but the car was parked in the open sun. The dog inside was clearly distressed and was panting heavily.

I waited for a while for the owner to return but the dog was getting more and more lethargic and weak. My first idea was to break the window to gain access to the dog, but I wasn't sure if I was allowed to do this. In the end, after many unsuccessful attempts, I managed to reach through the open window and open the door. I helped the dog out and tied it to a tree in the shade. I gave it water to cool it down and splashed the water over its coat.

Eventually the owner returned and, after I'd explained to her what had happened and how dangerous it was to leave her dog in the car on a hot day, she was very upset and apologetic. She thanked me profusely for helping her dog and told me she hadn't been aware of the dangers.

This made me wonder how many dog owners actually know the threats facing dogs in hot weather. I found a useful article about this here: http://www.viovet.co.uk/blog/p143-Dog_in_hot_cars

Even after much reading up on the issue, I still don't know what my rights are when it comes to saving dogs from hot cars. Any insights would be useful.

If the dog is showing signs of distress, a call to the police is in order.

The can legally get access inside the car and give the dog relief and the owner a dressing down they won't forget

I suppose you could call the police and tell them the dog is suffering and ask if you could get it out while they are on their way.

The RSPCA say this:

If you see a dog in a car on a warm day, call the Police on 999. If the police are unable to attend, please call our 24-hour cruelty line 0300 1234 999.

How distressing for you to hav e seen that poor dog suffering like that, and well done to you.

As said, call the police, BUT, even they can't do anything (allegedly) until the dog has collapsed. Can you belieeeeve that! I was told this by my own dog warden who had to stand alongside a dog in a car on a boiling hot day, with the police, a crowd of people gathering outside an M&S shop and yet nothing was allowed to be done to save the poor dog until it collapsed in the car. He said the law is an a*ss and if this is true, then I agree with him!

When the woman finally returned from her M&S shopping trip, the police had to turn their attention on the angry crowd who quite rightly wanted to lynch her for doing this to her poor dog.

Me, I'd just break the window and let the dog out and face the consequences afterwards. There's no way I could let them suffer like that

So would I. I have never had to as luckily I have never seen a dog left in a car, but I did smash the window of a car once to get an obviously heat-affected toddler out.

Of course that set the car alarm off - the mother of the child rushed out from I do not know where, called the police and demanded that they arrest me for having smashed her car window.

They did not arrest me but they arrested her for having left an 18-month old strapped in a car seat in unbearable heat.

Legally you can't do anything TBH. Illegally you can smash their windows or open their car if possible. I saw a small dog left in a Wal Mart parking lot in a hot car.

Went inside and told them to make an announcement that the dog was there so the owner could come get it out. No way am I smashing someone's window unless I absolutely HAVE to.

If I stand there, nobody comes and I think the dog is going to die... I'll probably break the window to get the dog out. Once I saw a large snarling dog in a hot car... I can only hope his owners came back in time.

I'm not risking getting badly bitten by a big angry dog trying to help him.

I'm not too sure how things work over there but here I think the owner can charge you with damage to their car.

I once saw the same thing as you, a dog in a hot car panting like crazy. I called animal control, they were closed but the answering machine gave instructions to call the police in such cases. I called the police and they asked where the car was, where in the parking lot, what colour make and license plate number and that they would be right over.

I guess another way to intervene is to go to whatever store(s) the parking lot is for and request the store keepers to either page (sp?) the person or ask around to find the owner.

This dog was very lucky you were able to get the door open. I commend you for your perseverance.

They can do that here, too. You'll have to pay for the window you broke and any other damage you caused to their car. That is best case scenario. What's worse? The dog stays with his owners. You only kept him from dying then and there.

You might also face a criminal case depending on how you went about it and what is said. If they claim you stole something or something else, it really can turn into a huge mess.

I live in the Tri-State New York area. The law here is if you make a call to the police or animal control about a dog in a car even on a mild day...
They pop the lock on the car
Record the car plates and owner ID
Take the dog into custody
The owner has to convince someone either officer or judge that they know the error of their ways
Then they might get their dog back
Plus several tickets to pay

You don't want to leave your dog in the car around here, and yet people still do

I wouldn't think twice, or even consider the consequences.
If I saw a dog in a car in distress I would break into that car somehow to get the dog out.