What to Do if you See a Dog Locked in a Car

Dogs die in hot cars! The message could not be simpler to understand, and yet, all too often, we still see dogs left locked in cars, which can have fatal consequences very quickly, especially in the summer months.

If you are a dog owner, please do not leave your dog locked in the car. However, the question is what to do if you see a dog locked in a car, because, as we have already established, it still happens.

The answer is to call the emergency services immediately, the easiest way of doing this is by dialling the 112 emergency number from any phone. Before you do this, you must get a clear indication of the location, such as the street name, or names, or the name of the building for example, in order to speed up the response.

Dial 112, where they speak a number of different languages, explain what you have found, in other words the dog in a car, and then give the location. You may also be asked a number of questions related to the matter so be prepared to answer.

That is it. That is what you have to do. What you must not do is attempt to free the animal yourself by breaking the window of the car for example. Despite claims made for many years on social media that you cannot be prosecuted for damaging a car in these circumstances, it is not true. These claims are false. You cannot break into a vehicle for any reason, including to rescue an animal.

The only legally permitted course of action if you see a dog in such a state is to call for assistance from the police or Guardia Civil.

If you are able to speak Spanish, you can also summon the Local Police, who may be able to respond quicker, by calling 091 or 062, but if not, the emergency coordination centre on 112, where operators speak multiple languages, but under no circumstances should you put yourself at risk of prosecution by taking the advice shared through these erroneous social media posts.