Man left dog in baking hot car as he drank in pub

A DOG owner left his distressed pet sweltering inside his car in baking-hot temperatures of 109ºF while he was drinking in a pub.

He also did the same “thoughtless” thing on another occasion and it was only after a worried travel shop worker twice raised the alarm that the panting dog was rescued, a court was told.

John Clark, 73, of Woad Lane, Great Coates, admitted leaving the dog in a car during hot weather on May 12 and August 11.

Nigel Burn, prosecuting, told Grimsby magistrates that a member of staff at a travel agents noticed the 16-year-old collie, Ben, in Clark’s car, which was parked and displaying a disabled badge in the town’s Bethlehem Street on a hot day.

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The dog was panting heavily and seemed to be in distress. The woman tried to get water to the dog but could not reach.

She asked a fire crew who had been attending another incident to help. Clark was later argumentative with firefighters and accused them of interfering. The thirsty dog, which had apparently been in the car from after about 11am to before about 1.23pm, was released.

On the second occasion, the same woman spotted the car parked in a similar place. The dog was in the front footwell on a very hot day.

She contacted the police and the RSPCA. The dog was panting heavily and the car was rocking from side to side because of its frantic movements inside.

Two front windows were each open an inch but animal welfare officer Sarah Tucker measured the temperature inside the car as a roasting 109ºF (43ºC).

The dog had been inside between about 11.30am and 1.30pm, again while Clark was drinking at a nearby pub. Water was later poured over the dog. It was seized by the RSPCA, which later prosecuted Clark.

Clark told the court: “I thought he was all right.”

Clark also admitted linked offences of wasting police time by making false reports on September 4 and 5 – in a bid to get information about the whereabouts of his dog.

He also admitted stealing food, including a joint of beef and a whole chicken, from Marks & Spencer on September 22.

Clark was given a 16-week 8pm to 7am curfew, was banned from keeping animals for two years and was ordered to pay £500 costs to the RSPCA.

The dog has since been put down after an x-ray revealed it had an unrelated “exploded” tumour in a leg which meant it could not walk.