A Slovak woman left her dog in her locked car in the sun and left for manicure in Bratislava on July 7, 2024. (source: Unsplash )
A woman left her dog locked in a car outside a Bratislava shopping mall, endangering its life under the scorching sun. The alertness of passersby led to the pet’s rescue.
As reported by Bratislava police spokesperson Michal Szeiff, a patrol was sent to the parking lot between the Bory hospital and the adjacent shopping centre on the outskirts of Bratislava on Sunday, July 7, shortly after 14:00. A golden retriever in poor health was trapped inside a locked BMW car, in the sun with closed windows.
Police officers had the shopping mall call the vehicle owner through the PA. Subsequently, a woman came forward stating that she had left the dog in the car, forgot about him and went to get a manicure, said the spokesman.
The dog, in poor health, was taken to a veterinary clinic and rescued.
Leaving animal in hot car may be classified as animal cruelty
Leaving an animal in a hot car may be dealt with as an offence under the Veterinary Care Act, but in certain circumstances the act may be punishable as animal cruelty.
In the case of leaving a child in a car, it may be a crime of abandoning a child who cannot help him or herself. A person may also face a charge of battery or manslaughter in an extreme case, if such actions lead to the child’s death or his/her health being damaged.
If the situation allows, the vehicle owner should be immediately notified. Otherwise, those witnessing such a situation should call the police, the fire brigade or 112.
The police remind the public about the “Don’t Forget About Me in the Car” nationwide campaign about the danger of leaving children and animals behind in hot cars. In the past there were cases where parents forgot their child in a car and they perished.
