Three dogs die in warm car

The animal charity was called to the Hampton area of the city on Thursday afternoon to reports the dogs were in distress. The dogs died later. It has not been revealed what breed of dogs were involved, or the age of the pets.

A spokesman for the RSPCA said a 65-year-old man from Peterborough was interviewed by representatives from the charity at a police station in the city on Friday.

The spokesman said the investigation was still ongoing, and was unable to say if a decision has been made regarding any potential further action.

RSPCA officers are now warning people to take extra care to keep pets safe in cars.

The spokesman said: “Many people still believe that it’s ok to leave a dog in a car on a warm day if the windows are left open or they’re parked in the shade, but the truth is, it’s still a very dangerous situation for the dog. A car can become as hot as an oven very quickly, even when it doesn’t feel that warm. When it’s 22 degrees, in a car it can reach an unbearable 47 degrees within the hour.

“Never leave your dog alone in a car on a warm day. If you see a dog in distress in a hot car, dial 999. If the situation becomes critical for the dog and the police are too far away/unable to attend, many people’s instinct will be to break into the car to free the dog.

“If you decide to do this, please be aware that without proper justification, this could be classed as criminal damage and, potentially, you may need to defend your actions in court. Make sure you tell the police what you intend to do, why, and take images/footage of the dog and the names and numbers of witnesses to the incident.”