Rescuer who smashed car window to save dog on hot day avoids police action
A rescuer who smashed a dog owner’s car window to save the animal on a warm day has escaped police action.
The unidentified man in Swindon, Wiltshire, broke the car window when he passed the vehicle and saw the dog inside, witnesses say.
He then lifted the dog out of the car. The animal was later given to police officers who reunited the animal with its owner when he returned to his vehicle.
Police said the rescuer would not face any punishment for his actions.
Police community support officers (PCSOs) and a representative from the RSPCA issued the dog owner with a formal warning over the incident.
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Police were alerted to the incident at about 10am on Monday after receiving reports that a 14-week-old terrier mix was in distress.
It was reported that the owner had left the dog inside his blue Mercedes-Benz car while he went to do some shopping.
After the car’s window had been smashed, officers waited with the dog until the owner returned.
Inspector Steph Daly, of Wiltshire Police, said: "People just don’t think it’s going to happen to them.
"They think, ‘Oh I’ll be alright, I’m only going to be five minutes’, but with what’s going on in the world at the moment, we have to queue for the supermarkets.
"You know your trip is going to take longer.
"People are animal lovers, and if they see something they’re not happy with, they’ll take action.
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"At the end of the day, the RSPCA advise people not to leave their dog in the car full stop. It might be 20 degrees outside, but it could be up to 38 to 40 degrees inside the car.
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"What I say to people is: sit in a car yourself for five or 10 minutes with no windows open and no air conditioning on and see how long you can last.
"We can sweat though, dogs can’t. If you take that risk of leaving your dog in a car, then to me you’re being reckless.
"You’re not deliberately trying to hurt your animal, but that’s still committing an offence."
A spokeswoman for Wiltshire Police confirmed that officers attended the scene.
