A dog trapped in a swelteringly hot car was saved by police officers, who smashed the windows of a £25,000 electric Hyundai in Leicester Square.
Officers have emphasised the importance of not taking animals outside during the extreme conditions due to how they can suffer under their furry coats.
During an incident in Leicester Square yesterday, police officers were forced to smash into a Hyundai on Oxendon Street being alerted to a trapped dog by onlookers.
Bystanders who informed the police about the situation were told that if the dog was still panting in the next five to ten minutes, they could smash the window.
A spokesperson for The Metropolitan Police said: "At 6.16pm on Monday police were alerted by a concerned member of the public to a dog inside a car with the windows closed in Oxendon Street, SW1.
"The dog, which had allegedly been in the car for some time, appeared to be suffering in the heat.
Brits have been experiencing unprecedented temperatures, which has increased fears over the welfare of pets.
Ben Birchall
"Officers attended and broke a window to gain entry to the dog and the owners of the car were spoken to and their details taken.
"The dog appeared in good health once it had been released from the car."
The incident occurred before temperatures reached 40C for the first time on record in the UK, with 40.2C provisionally recorded at London Heathrow, the Met Office said.
The threshold was hit at 12.50pm as much of the UK sweltered in a heatwave, with parts of England and Wales under a red warning for extreme heat, posing a danger to life, pressure on the NHS and disruption across transport networks.
The extreme heat is fuelled by climate change, which is making every heatwave more intense, frequent and likely, scientists warn.
The dog in question was soon freed by police officers.
Image: Twitter
Looking after furry friends has become all the more important as the UK experiences new highs in terms of temperatures.
PA
