A woman who left her dog inside a car during a record heat wave was given a stern statement by police officers who broke her window to save the animal.
The incident comes after forecasters revealed today that Britain has now had as many 30°C days in 2026 as it did in the infamous year of 1976.
of Office of the Met said temperatures reached 30.1°C in Hurn, Dorseton Monday, marking the ninth day in a row that somewhere in the UK has exceeded 30°C.
In a car park near Brent Cross shopping center in north-west London, however, police were forced to smash the window of a Volvo to rescue a trapped dog.
Concerned members of the public alerted the authorities after seeing the dog panting inside the car parked in a Tesco Extra car park.
Unable to find the owner, officers decided to break the window as there was no time to wait.
Footage shared online shows the dog being removed from the owner before the officer confronts the owner.
‘You let the dog suffer. It’s not on, he is heard telling her.
“I don’t know why you are leaving your dog unattended even for a few minutes, especially in this heat.
“We had to get down and force your way into your vehicle because members of the public were concerned about your dog because of the way it’s breathing. It’s panicked.
“Obviously he’s panicking because it’s hot inside. Did you think to check your dog or put him inside on a leash?’
of Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the car park at around 11.05am following calls about the dog.
“Officers made efforts to identify the owner, but these efforts were unsuccessful,” the statement said.
‘Because of the heat WEATHER and as time passed, the police forced entry into the car and removed the dog for its safety.
“Police later reunited the dog with its owner and provided advice and guidance to prevent a similar incident from happening again. No further action will be taken.’
Animal welfare charity have also warned that the temperature inside a parked car on a warm day can become fatal for dogs within minutes.
The RSPCA advises owners to never leave pets unattended in vehicles when temperatures are warm.
