Durban - A pet owner was let off with a warning by the SPCA after she left her dog in her car without adequate ventilation for more than an hour while shopping during Tuesday’s heat.
Shoppers noticed the panting dachshund inside the car at the Fields shopping centre parking lot in Kloof. The doors were locked so shoppers and business owners tried to contact the owner by word of mouth.
Enraged dog lovers contemplated breaking a window to free the distressed animal.
Kloof and Highway SPCA Inspectorate manageress, Cheri Cooke, said they had responded to a complaint and were greeted by a crowd of angry people.
“The dog was hyperaemic (excessive accumulation of blood to a part of the body) and was panting,” Cooke said.
Witnesses said the dog had brand name goods and a blanket, but no water. Some said the temperature could have reached 36ºC inside the car.
Onlookers managed to pull down the window and a woman stuck her arm through a tiny gap between the window and door frame and lifted up the button.
Cooke said: “The dog was removed and a seizure notice was left in the vehicle. The dog was taken straight to the SPCA and a full examination was performed.
“The owners came to the SPCA to claim the dog. They were made to understand the severity of their actions, and were remorseful and apologetic.”
Daily News