RSPCA 'hopes' dog cruelty case will help others

Wednesday, 24 February 2010 19:05

The case of a police officer convicted this week of leaving two pet dogs in a car to die should highlight the dangers of doing so to other people, the RSPCA says.

PC Mark Johnson, 39, was given a six-month conditional discharge and has to pay costs of £2,500 after being found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to two canines.

He kept them in a car for seven hours on one of the hottest days of 2009 and they died of heatstroke.

Although the RSPCA believes PC Johnson did not intend for this to happen, as a professional dog handler he should not have left the animals unattended.

"On sunny days, even when it's not that warm outside, cars can heat up like ovens and become death traps for animals left inside them," the organisation adds.

It gives specific advice regarding how to keep dogs cool, warning owners that leaving a window open or using a sunshield is not good enough.

Animal Friends Insurance Services are an ethical pet insurance company. We have been supporting animal welfare charities around the world since 1999 by donating all net profits to their causes.

Posted by Elaine