A man who locked his two Labradors inside a car in 29C heat has been banned from keeping dogs.
The RSPCA was called to York Hospital after people spotted the sweltering dogs in Nicholas Foreman’s red Kia hatchback on June 25.
When the animal welfare officers arrived, the police had already smashed the car window to free the dogs.
RSPCA Inspector Alice Cooper said: ‘Both the dogs were panting heavily and were extremely distressed.
‘The car was parked in direct sunlight and, although a window was slightly open, it was incredibly uncomfortable inside the car.
‘The temperature that day was 29C and the dogs were suffering the effects of heat exhaustion so we rushed them to the vets.’
Thankfully, both Zoe, a three-year-old black Labrador, and Penny, a two-year-old chocolate Labrador, managed to recover.
Penny had to have cool baths to bring her body temperature down as it reached dangerously high levels.
Foreman, 58, of Mill Close in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to the dogs at York Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
He was banned from keeping dogs for five years and sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work.
He was also ordered to pay £300 in costs and a £85 victim surcharge.
‘Penny and Zoe were incredibly lucky,’ Inspector Cooper said. ‘Unfortunately, we’ve been called to many incidents of dogs being left in hot cars where the animals have succumbed to the heat.
‘I really hope that cases like this will help to demonstrate the dangers of leaving pets in hot environments when the weather heats up.’
The RSPCA said it received 5,527 reports of animals suffering heat exposure this summer, the majority of which related to dogs being left in hot cars.
Inspector Cooper added: ‘It’s just not good enough – no one should be gambling with their dog’s life.’
Penny and Zoe were signed over to the RSPCA after the incident and are now being looked after by staff at York Animal Home.
They are described as ‘sweet’ girls who are totally devoted to each other and enjoy playing and snoozing together.
Staff are now hoping to find a home for them together, where they can enjoy long walks with a family that is around for them for most of the day.
For more information about adopting Penny and Zoe, you can visit their online profile or contact RSPCA York Animal Home by calling 01904 654949 or emailing [email protected].
