Dog Left In Hot Car While Owner Went Shopping, 'Distressed' Canine Rescued

A dog was rescued by a member of the public Thursday after it was left inside a hot car outside a branch of Tesco in Somerset, South West England. Police arrived at the scene after being notified that the dog owner went shopping while leaving the canine in the car for more than an hour.

The dog appeared to be distressed and covered in saliva on the hottest July day on record. Police said the dog was left in the boot of a car. A member of the public smashed open the car window and rescued the animal.

“To this absolute MORON in Yeovil Tesco Extra who left their dog in the car for OVER one hour before authorization from police was gained for a PCSO to smash your window in to release your poor dog, you should not be allowed animals," witness Antonia Peacock posted an angry message on Facebook. “Your dog was in a really distressed state. And all you left was a one inch gap in ONE of your windows... Fuming isn’t even the word... 32C outside a car and you choose to bring your dog out and leave it in the car while you go shopping in town. Shame on you as a person.”

An Avon and Somerset Constabulary spokesman said: “The car had all its windows closed at the time. A window of the car was broken by a member of public prior to our arrival... The dog is reported to be OK, and was taken to a veterinary practice as a precaution."

Earlier this month, a dog was left in a hot car while its owner went shopping in Essex in southeast England. Firefighters smashed open a window to free the dog, which was in "distress." The cockapoo, named Bertie, was left in the vehicle in the soaring temperature with no windows open and in direct sunlight in a multi-story car park in Saffron Walden.

"Today we rescued a Cokerpoo [sic] Dog called Bertie from the top deck of Waitrose multi story park car in SW by breaking a window to release him," the post read. "The dog was in distress due to the intense heat within a parked car in direct sunlight with no open windows... Please always keep your pets welfare and safety in mind particularly during this hot spell."