With the UK finally seeing some sunshine, the Kennel Club has released a video entitled Don’t Cook your Dog, which warns of leaving dogs in hot cars.

Heat hard to handle

Even in the temperate weather we’ve been experiencing this summer, cars can quickly heat up to around 50°C, causing dogs to suffer from brain damage, organ failure and even death.

Each year the Kennel Club receives reports of dogs being left in cars, and it warns that leaving a window ajar or water in the car makes little difference.

“We might not be experiencing a scorching summer but today’s sunshine reminds us that even on fairly warm and cloudy days cars can heat up at an alarming speed that can be fatal to dogs.  

“Dogs can only cool down by panting and sweating through their paws, so they will find the heat far worse than humans. Owners must realise that dogs cannot handle heat like we can and that it is never safe to leave the dog in the car alone, whether the windows are open or not.”

The three-minute video, which is part of the Don’t Cook Your Dog campaign run by Dogs Today magazine, has received a string of celebrity endorsements. Stephen Fry even tweeted about it to his 2.9 million followers.

Dog-friendly attractions

In addition, the Kennel club has launched an ‘Open for Dogs’ campaign to encourage more businesses and services to welcome dogs, which it hopes will avoid the need to leave dogs unattended in cars.

Thousands of dog-friendly days out, hotels, cafes, pubs and beaches are listed, to help families plan trips and activites over the summer holidays that include their four legged-friends.