Dogs Trust Statement on death of Nottinghamshire Police Dogs

Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, is saddened to hear about the death of two German Shepherd dogs who were found in a vehicle parked outside the Headquarters of Nottinghamshire Police on Tuesday.

Dogs Trust would also like to confirm that the two police dogs were not Dogs Trust dogs.

Nottinghamshire police do not have a Dogs Lay Visitors’ Scheme supported by Dogs Trust, designed to protect police dogs’ welfare. Our policy is to refuse to rehome to police forces not participating in this scheme.

Whilst the cause of death is still to be determined, the charity would like to remind dog owners and police dog handlers that leaving your dog locked in a car can prove fatal, particularly during a heatwave. It can take just twenty minutes for a dog to die and temperatures can reach over 40 degrees in some vehicles.

Dogs Trust has compiled three essential tips for owners to help their dogs beat the heat:

• Walk your dog in the morning and evening when the weather is cooler and make sure shady spots and drinking water are available.
• Clip the fur of particularly hairy hounds and apply canine sun cream to areas most likely to burn: ears, nose, and belly. Human suncream can be toxic so buy a special pet version from your local pet shop.
• Be extra vigilant with older and overweight dogs as they are more prone to overheat. In a real emergency wet your dog thoroughly and use a household fan to blow cool air over their head and body. Seek urgent veterinary attention.

If your dog shows signs of distress – such as excessive panting, blueness of the tongue or collapse contact your local vet immediately.

Don't let your hot dog burn this summer...

Well, it's finally sunny here in the UK, and the more responsible sun worshippers are slapping on sun cream, covering up in direct sunlight and keeping hydrated (that's with water, not booze!). But are they doing the same for their dogs?

Paula Boyden, Veterinary Director at Dogs Trust, explains:

"Dogs can suffer from sunburn just like us. Facing a higher risk are dogs with white or light-coloured hair, those with short or no hair at all and dogs that have lost hair through allergies or medical treatment."

Remember that it is also crucially important not to leave dogs in hot cars. Just twenty minutes waiting in a hot car can prove fatal.

You can keep your dog healthy and happy by following just a few tips:

• Keep him in the shade during the hottest part of the day - preferably ion the cool indoors
• NEVER leave her in the car in warm weather
• Avoid long car journeys in hot weather
• Clip fur and apply pet sun cream to easily burned areas: nose, ears, eyelids and belly. DON'T use human sun cream - it can be toxic so visit your local pet shop and get one made specifically for dogs.

More tips (updated July 2009):

• Be extra vigilant with older and overweight dogs as they are more prone to overheat. In a real emergency wet your dog thoroughly and use a household fan to blow cool air over their head and body. Seek urgent veterinary attention.
• If your dog takes a dip in a lake or pool make sure you rinse him as soon afterwards as possible. Never allow your dog to drink from ponds unless the water is clear as algae in the water can produce toxins that are rapidly fatal.

If your dog shows signs of distress – such as excessive panting, blueness of the tongue or collapse contact your local vet immediately. For more advice on dealing with heat and identifying the signs of heatstroke, please visit the 'heat' section of our website.