On the warm and humid afternoon of Wednesday, July 10th, Civil Enforcement Officer, Mike Francis, came across a small black dog, that appeared to be a Jack Russell, sat in a car parked in the Maltings Car Park, Ross-on-Wye.

As Mike approached the vehicle, the dog became agitated and restless. With the windows ‘not sufficiently open’, he said, and the day becoming increasingly warm, Mike decided to ring the police.

The parking ticket indicated at least a two hour stay, bought at 12.08pm and valid until 3.03pm. He explained to the police that as the dog became worked up, the car alarm was set off, and he had a ‘growing concern’ for its welfare.

The motorist who had parked the vehicle returned and drove it away before the police arrived, and did not respond to the Ross Gazette, but Herefordshire Council hope that the incident acts as a warning to motorists and pet owners that leaving dogs in cars will not be tolerated.

The council is working with The Dogs Trust and the British Parking Association (BPA) to back the ‘Dogs Die in Hot Cars’ campaign, which aims to highlight the dangers of leaving dogs in cars during hot weather and advises the public as to what action to take if they see a dog in distress. 

The RSPCA reported 8,290 calls relating to animals and heat exhaustion in 2018 - 90 per cent of which were about dogs in hot cars – including 33 in Herefordshire.

Keeping an eye out for dogs in distress during hot weather and taking appropriate action could be the difference between life and death, Herefordshire Council say.

Mike told the Ross Gazette: “Even though, on this occasion, the dog survived, it could very easily have not been so lucky. I would urge people to please, no matter how brief you think you’ll be or how acceptable you consider the heat to be, do not leave your dog in a car. If you do, it could be the last time you see them alive.”See the full story in this week’s edition of the Ross Gazette, or subscribe to our online edition here