READING a national newspaper last week yet again I read of another tragic story of three labradors being left in a car whilst their owner visited an animal park. Apparently, he was gone for five hours and left no windows open. Needless to say on his return his pets had all died a slow and agonising death. The day was not even a hot one, but the car reached a temperature of 47 degrees inside.  

As a dog owner myself I cannot understand why he needed to take them at all, why not leave them at home in the cool and safe?  Why do people deem it necessary to take their dogs shopping? Many a time I see dogs left in cars in supermarket car parks where owners shop, then lunch without any regard that their dog is shut up in a stuffy car.

 I urge anyone to sit in their car for ten minutes on a warm day with no windows open or even open a little to experience just how hot the car becomes.  I also cannot understand how no passersby in the car park sounded the alarm for these poor pets to be saved.  

Maybe it is time for the law to be changed to protect animals from this type of neglect. If no pet was allowed to be left unattended in vehicles for any length of time then these sad stories wouldn't keep happening. The general public would then have the right to report owners and this would prevent more deaths.  

I know it is necessary occasionally that your dog has to accompany you and has to stay in the car but I wanted to remind everyone of the horrors of what can happen if the sun decides to come out and you have left your best friend alone. Remember he relies on you looking after him, so please do.

Annette Perring

Pentillie Road

Bere Alston