Family take kitten on 200 mile trip to Bournemouth beach on hottest day of the year

The kitten was taken to Bournemouth beach in hot temperatures (Picture: RSPCA)
The kitten was taken to Bournemouth beach in hot temperatures (Picture: RSPCA)

The RSPCA has reminded pet owners to ensure their animals are safe after a family took a kitten on 200 mile trip to Bournemouth beach on the hottest day of the year.

Animal rescuers were called when the kitten was spotted in Dorset on Thursday as temperatures rose above a sweltering 30C.

The family told RSPCA staff they had taken the young pet with them because their children wanted it to come along.

They eventually agreed to take the kitten home.

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Beachgoers enjoy the sunshine as they sunbathe and play in the sea on Bournemouth beach in Bournemouth, southern England, on June 25, 2020. - Just days after lockdown ended and European travel restrictions were lifted, many were staying home in the cool as a heatwave hit the continent with temperatures touching 40 degrees Celcius. Britain was bracing for a flood of visitors to its beaches with the heatwave expected to last until Friday and temperatures set to climb into the mid-30s in the south and centre of the country. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
Beachgoers enjoy the sunshine in Bournemouth (Picture: Getty)

RSPCA inspector Graham Hammond said: “I've been an inspector for quite some time, and have seen all sorts of things but when I saw this kitten on the beach, I thought 'I've seen it all now!”

The call about the kitten was just one of 72 incidents the charity was made aware of from those concerned about animals in the heat this week.

The RSPCA received several calls to its emergency line about dogs in hot cars.

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A member of the Ambulance Service walks with two security staff along Bournemouth Pier in Dorset as crowds gather on the beach below. (Photo by Andrew Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images)
A member of the Ambulance Service walks with two security staff along Bournemouth Pier (Picture: Getty)

Mr Hammond added: “I also spoke with three other people in the space of just 15 minutes, who were walking their dogs on the promenade in the blistering heat.

“I'd plead with people not to go out and about with their dogs in this hot weather and, instead, to keep them cool at home and in the garden.

“It's best to take dogs for walks and plan any rides on horses early in the morning and late in the evening - avoiding the hottest parts of the day - and to ensure they have constant access to shade, cool areas of the house and lots of freshwater.”

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On the same day, a dog was taken into the care of the RSPCA animal centre in Kent after being injured.

Inspector Rosie Russon found Belle had burns to her pads which had blistered and popped.

The burns were making it very painful for her to take any steps.

She was taken to a nearby vet to treat her injuries.

The RSPCA urged pet owners to never to leave their dogs in parked cars in warm weather.

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