Two police dogs die in hot car

Two German Shepherd police dogs have died after being left in a hot car by their handler. The dogs were found dead in a police car parked outside Nottinghamshire's force headquarters in Arnold at 2.15pm on Wednesday. The Independent Police Complaints Commission said it received a referral from the force and is deciding whether to investigate. The RSPCA said it is investigating the incident. A statement from Nottinghamshire Police said the welfare of its animals was "of paramount importance". It said: "We endeavour to take every measure possible to ensure their well-being and safety." It takes nine weeks of intensive training and costs more than £7,000 before a police dog can go out on patrol. The maximum sentence for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal is six months in prison and a £20,000 fine. Nottinghamshire Police said the handler has not been suspended. The Dogs Trust, the UK's largest dog welfare charity, said it was "saddened" by the news. A spokeswoman said: "Whilst the cause of death is still to be determined, the charity would like to remind dog owners and police dog handlers that leaving your dog locked in a car can prove fatal, particularly during a heatwave. "It can take just 20 minutes for a dog to die and temperatures reach over 40 degrees in some vehicles." It is believed the dogs' handler was not on duty at the time and had called in to the force's headquarters at Sherwood Lodge, leaving the dogs to over-heat in the parked car. It is not known how long they were left in the car but temperatures in Nottingham hit 29.4C. An RSPCA spokesman said: "It was reported to us yesterday by Nottinghamshire Police. We are investigating and they are co-operating with us. I am sure this isn't the first incident and it won't be the last."

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ITN | July 2, 2009

Tags:. .rspca. .animals. .endeavour. .unnecessary. .heatwave