Gardaí urge pet-owners to be careful as dog is left in the back of a van in 26 degree heat

Poor form.

Ireland is in the midst of a historic heatwave. For the first few days we were basically in shock, unaware that this sort of thing could ever happen to us. Then we started properly enjoying it, taking full advantage of it. Some of us even started bravely wearing shorts into the office. And now it seems like some people are getting fairly sick of it... But it's not just an inconvenience, it can be very unsafe. Especially for animals. For example, this dog was left in the back of a van in 26 degree heat at the Groove Festival in Bray. https://twitter.com/gardainfo/status/1015975305050316801 Luckily, the Gardaí managed to get into the van and rescue the dog, but the situation could have ended an awful lot worse. The reason a hot, parked car is so dangerous for a dog is because dogs barely sweat. They regulate their body temperature by panting, and in addition require a lot of water. If you ever come across a dog that has been left in a hot car for a period of time, you should look to rehydrate them as quickly as possible, with mild temperature water. Maxizoo have a list of rules and guidelines for dogs in warm conditions, which you can read here.