This petition was submitted during the 2019 to 2024 Parliament
Rejected petition Make it illegal to keep pets and children in a car in hot weather
Rejected on
The summer heat poses a huge risk for pets and children who are left in hot cars. It’s dangerous, it can kill them. I also ask that people who break the window to rescue a distressed pet or child be protected from criminal charges or from civil proceedings for damage to the car.
Why was this petition rejected?
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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 keeping a dog in a car 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.