An animal welfare charity has warned of the deadly dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars.
The warning comes from the Scottish SPCA following a rise in concern calls and a number of distressing incidents across Scotland.
In the past three years, the charity has received more than 500 calls about animals left in vehicles.
Last year there were 198 calls of concern related to animals left in hot cars, up from 165 in 2024 and 185 the year before.
With warm weather returning, the charity is reminding the public that it can take just minutes for a dog to suffer fatal heatstroke inside a parked car.
Tom Underwood, head of clinical services and veterinary strategy at the Scottish SPCA, said: "Every summer we see the consequences of dogs left in hot cars and the message is simple; it is never safe, not even for a few minutes.
"A dog can't sweat to cool down like we do and trapped in a hot car its body temperature climbs fast, its organs can start to fail and within minutes you are looking at a painful, avoidable death.
"A car heats up much faster than people expect, and we must reach a point as a society where leaving a dog in a car on a hot day is simply unthinkable.
"Not risky.
"Unthinkable.
"If you see a dog in distress in a hot car, call 999 – this is a police matter and acting quickly can save a life."
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One incident highlighted by the charity took place at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, where a dog was left inside a parked car while its owners visited a patient.
The outside temperature was 26C, but inside the car, a thermometer recorded 31C.
Members of the public, fearing for the dog’s safety, broke into the vehicle shortly before an inspector arrived.
The dog had been left in the car for about 45 minutes, with the owners saying that they believed they had parked in the shade, but the sun had shifted during their visit.
The animal was taken to a vet, who recorded an internal temperature of 39.1C and required treatment until its temperature stabilised.
In another case attended by the Scottish SPCA, two dogs left in a car for around two hours were found dead, despite the vehicle initially being parked in the shade.
The charity warns that heatstroke can set in rapidly and that even cracked windows or shade do not make a parked car safe for dogs.
Symptoms of heatstroke include heavy panting, drooling, breathing difficulties, lethargy, collapse, vomiting and loss of coordination.
If a dog is seen in distress in a hot car, the public is advised to call Police Scotland on 999 immediately.
The Scottish SPCA is also using these incidents to call for long-term cultural change through education.
The charity is advocating for animal welfare education to be included in the Scottish curriculum.
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Research conducted by the Scottish SPCA and the University of Edinburgh suggests that teaching animal welfare increases understanding of animal needs and sentience.
It also fosters greater empathy towards both animals and people.
For more information about the charity’s full manifesto, and to view its petition supporting the call for education reform, visit the Scottish SPCA website.
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