This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament
Rejected petition Create a law where dog owners can't walk their dogs in Temperatures above 23°c
During the summer whether it be because they don't know or they don't care, millions of dog owners continue to walk their dogs in scorching temperatures. This results in heatstroke and burns to the paws from the hot pavements. Only 50% of dogs survive heatstroke.
More details
I would like the government to hold pwners responsible for this clear act of animal cruelty and endangerment
This petition was rejected
Why was this petition rejected?
We can't publish petitions when the request is something that's already happening or something that has been announced since you started your petition.
We think your petition is covered by Government or Parliament action already. If you'd like something else, you could start a new petition clearly explaining what it is.
We understand you're concerned about the welfare of dogs in hot weather, however the Animal Welfare Act 2006 already makes it an offence if a person causes, by act or omission, an animal to suffer. This would cover suffering caused by taking a dog for a walk in excessive heat.
The Government's code of practice for the welfare of dogs, which provides owners and keepers with information on how to meet the welfare needs of their animals, and can be used in courts as evidence in cases brought before them relating to poor welfare, specifically highlights the risks of heat stress: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/697953/pb13333-cop-dogs-091204.pdf
Decisions about investigating alleged animal welfare offences and prosecuting these are a matter for the police and Crown Prosecution Service, not the Government or House of Commons.
If you're concerned about a specific incident, you may wish to report it directly to the RSPCA: https://www.rspca.org.uk/utilities/contactus/reportcruelty
We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.