As North Wales continues to experience a prolonged spell of hot weather, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is appealing to the public to leave pets at home when visiting hospital sites.
The warning comes after several incidents in recent days where dogs were found left unattended in parked cars at hospital facilities while their owners attended appointments or visited loved ones. With temperatures climbing rapidly inside vehicles, even with windows slightly open, these situations pose serious and potentially fatal risks to animals.
A spokesperson for the Health Board said, “We are extremely concerned about the welfare of pets being left in vehicles during this hot weather. Temperatures inside a parked car can become life-threatening in just a few minutes, and we urge everyone to make alternative arrangements for their pets before coming to hospital.”
The Health Board is reminding visitors that, even brief periods left alone in a hot car can lead to severe heatstroke and death in animals, particularly dogs.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has also issued clear guidance on the dangers of leaving pets in vehicles during warm weather. The organisation emphasises that dogs can suffer heatstroke within minutes, and that leaving windows open slightly does not prevent the temperature from soaring to dangerous levels.
To learn more about keeping animals safe in hot weather, the RSPCA has published detailed advice on the issue, available at: https://www.rspca.org.uk/…/pets/dogs/health/dogsinhotcars
