Is it Illegal to Leave Your Dog In the Car?

When the weather warms up, it’s tempting to head out with your pooch, but if you go somewhere your dog isn’t allowed, you might think leaving them in your car is the perfect solution. But while it isn’t necessarily illegal to leave your dog alone in a parked vehicle, a little warmth can cause a huge amount of damage to a dog – and leave you in trouble with the law.

Main takeaways

• It’s not technically illegal to leave your dog in a car in the UK, but if you’re putting them at risk or causing unnecessary suffering, you could still be prosecuted under the 2006 Animal Welfare Act.

• Cars can reach dangerous temperatures for dogs within minutes – even on mild days and with windows cracked open. Unlike humans, dogs struggle to regulate their body temperature and cannot tolerate heat that might feel comfortable to us.

• Some dogs are even more at risk when left in a hot car, these include young, old and sick dogs, those with heavy coats and dogs that have flat faces.

• Heat-stroke can kill a dog; if a dog is panting heavily, having trouble breathing, drooling excessively, vomiting or has collapsed, ring a vet or 999 immediately.

• On hot days, dogs are much safer left in an appropriate setting at home with easy access to water and cool areas.

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Can you leave your dog in a car?

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 penalises mistreatment of pets and under the act owners can be prosecuted for neglect if they allow their pet to suffer unnecessarily and, if found guilty, face a fine or even a prison sentence.  Dogs are at risk when they are left inside a vehicle because they have a higher body temperature than humans and are susceptible to heat-stroke as they can’t cool down as effectively. Even in temperatures that humans might consider mild, the interior of a car can quickly become uncomfortably hot and possibly fatal. A hot car is like an oven for your dog.

Dogs left in the car laws in the UK

It isn’t technically illegal to leave your dog in the car in the UK. However, your dog is legally your responsibility, and leaving them in a position where they might be subject to unnecessary suffering is illegal under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and you could be charged with animal cruelty and face a fine of up to £20,000 or even a prison sentence of six months. More importantly, your dog‘s health could be severely affected by being left in a car that was too hot for them. They could even die.

‘Safe’ temperatures to leave your dog in the car

Whether or not there is a safe temperature to leave your dog in the car alone is debatable (although probably not a debate worth having – always err on the side of caution). The problem is that cars can heat up super fast because they’re made of metal. When it’s 22C outside, within an hour the temperature of a vehicle’s interior can rise to 47C. Dogs also cannot effectively cool themselves once temperatures reach a certain threshold. Additionally, some dogs are at higher risk of heat-stroke – including very young or elderly dogs, those with thick coats, dogs with medical conditions or on certain medications, and flat-faced breeds like Pugs and Bulldogs. These factors make it nearly impossible to determine what constitutes a ‘safe’ temperature.

Health risks of leaving a dog in a hot car

As per vet Dr Shea Cox: “dogs cannot tolerate high temperatures as well as humans because they depend upon rapid breathing (panting) to exchange their warm body air for cooler environmental air. When the air temperature is close to body temperature, cooling by rapid breathing is no longer an efficient process, and dogs can succumb to heat-stroke in a relatively short time.”

The following are the stages of dogs experiencing heat trauma:

Heat stress: the earliest warning stage, where dogs experience increased thirst and panting but can still walk and behave normally. This is your first signal that temperatures are becoming dangerous.

Heat exhaustion: occurs when a dog’s body temperature exceeds 39.4C. Dogs show excessive panting, increased thirst, weakness, fatigue, and may collapse. Without immediate intervention, heat exhaustion progresses to life-threatening heat-stroke.

Heat-stroke: a medical emergency requiring immediate veterinary attention. Prolonged high temperatures and untreated heat exhaustion can cause organ failure and death. Dogs with heat-stroke show obvious distress and agitation. Progressive symptoms include excessive drooling from the nose and mouth, loss of balance, and gum colour changes to blue, purple, or bright red due to oxygen starvation.

Remember, all of this can occur at temperatures a lot lower than you and I can tolerate. Even a 20C day can be too hot for some dogs to go for a walk in.

What to do if you see a dog left in a car

If you’re worried about someone else’s dog in a hot car, decide if the dog is suffering from heat-related complications like heat exhaustion or heat-stroke, which can be a very serious condition. Symptoms of heat-stroke in dogs include heavy panting, difficulty breathing, excessive drooling, vomiting, collapsing or appearing lethargic, drowsy or uncoordinated. If this is the case dial 999 immediately. 

You might be able to work out how long the dog has been in the car by checking a parking ticket’s arrival time, and you can note down the registration plate and get local shops and venues to put a call out to the owner. It’s important however, that someone continues to monitor the dog in case their condition deteriorates. Signs of heat exhaustion in dogs may include excessive panting, increased thirst, weakness, fatigue and potential collapse. If heat exhaustion is left untreated, it will result in heat-stroke.

If you think you need to break into the car, by smashing a window for example, tell the police that when you call. You could risk being charged with criminal damage so be prepared for this by taking photos and video evidence of the dog’s condition and ask for contact details of those around you that may agree this action needs to be taken. These people can be witnesses if necessary. 

Tips for dog owners in hot weather

If you find yourself out and about in your car in hot weather and your dog is with you, when you leave the vehicle take your dog with you whenever possible. Alternatively, if you can, plan to leave your dog at home where he or she will be safer and happier. If your dog struggles to be alone when you’re not there, barking excessively for example, you could ask someone you trust to pop in or hire a pet sitter or dog walker to help ensure your dog is okay while you need to go out. 

When temperatures are hot, a dog that has had an early or late walk at a cooler time of the day should be able to be left in a cool room or rooms at home for several hours. Make sure the doors to any particularly hot areas (such as sunny conservatories for example) are securely closed so they don’t become trapped there. Give them a frozen treat (like a stuffed Kong toy or a licky mat) to keep them entertained. You can also use cooling mats at home. 

Leaving your dog in the car: the bottom line

Remember, your dog relies on you for their safety. Part of the responsibility of pet parenthood is to do what’s best for them, even when it’s inconvenient or costly for you. Warm and hot weather will mean that the inside of your car is an uncomfortable and possibly dangerous place for your dog to be – and putting your dog’s health and welfare at risk can have serious legal implications for you too. If you need to go out somewhere your dog isn’t allowed, it’s far more sensible to make sure your dog is happily left at home than to risk their safety inside what can easily become an unbearably hot car interior. 

Leaving your dog in the car: frequently asked questions

Is it legal for someone to smash your car windows if they see a dog inside?

Smashing a car window to release a dog could be classed as criminal damage. If the dog is suffering from heat-stroke the public can call the police on 999 and the owner may be prosecuted under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. 

Is it ever safe to leave my dog in the car?

Leaving your dog unattended in your car should be avoided, even in milder weather, as the interior of a car can get very hot very quickly and dogs cannot regulate their higher body temperature as well as humans. 

Is it illegal to leave a dog in a hot car?

It is not illegal to leave your dog in a hot car alone, but it is illegal to cause them unnecessary suffering, which they may well experience due to the interior temperature.

How do I report a dog being left in a car?

In an emergency, where an unattended dog in a car in warm or hot weather looks like it is suffering from heat-stroke call the police on 999.

How long can you legally leave a dog in the car?

There are no specific laws about leaving dogs in cars in the UK, but the police may decide to prosecute you for animal welfare crimes because hot cars can cause suffering and death in dogs.