New legal analysis highlights owners’ duty to protect dogs from over-heating

The Legal Advisory Group on Extreme Conformation in Dogs (LAGECDogs) has released a new analysis highlighting the legal responsibilities of dog owners and carers under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in England (and devolved equivalents for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) to take all reasonable steps to prevent heat-related illnesses (HRI) in their dogs. The analysis also highlights the extra requirements placed on those who are responsible for dogs with extreme conformations (body/face shape). This analysis will support dog owners and carers, as well as the general public, to protect canine welfare during hot weather.

The risk of heat-related illnesses in dogs in the UK is rising, partially due to climate change and also because of the ongoing high demand to own flat-faced (eg English Bulldog, Pug, French Bulldog) and thick-coated (eg Chow Chow, Newfoundland) dog breeds. Developed by LAGECDogs, part of the UK Centre for Animal Law UK, this new analysis is the first of its kind to outline the legal responsibilities of owners and temporary carers, such as walkers, sitters and groomers, to protect their dogs from heat-related illness. It also draws on the large body of veterinary research on heat-related illness published from the VetCompass Programme at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC).

This includes that:

• Up to 70 percent of heat-related illness cases in dogs are caused by exercising the dog in warm weather, while the remaining 30 percent result from confining a dog to a warm environment. This evidence demonstrates the vital role owners can play in preventing heat-related illness in dogs by avoiding these risky actions
• Dogs with extreme physical characteristics, including flat faces (brachycephalic breeds) and thick coats, face a significantly higher risk of heat-related illness. For example, Chow Chows are 16.6 times more likely to suffer from heat-related illness than Labradors, with English Bulldogs 14 times more likely and French Bulldogs 6.5 times more likely
• There is an increased risk for older, overweight dogs, and dogs with respiratory impairment

The LAGECDogs legal analysis assists owners by outlining the reasonable steps which all dog owners and carers should take in warm weather to protect their dogs against heat-related illness, including:

• Limiting exercise to the cooler parts of the day
• Reducing the duration and intensity of exercise
• Offering your dog frequent access to shade and avoiding walking on tarmac or hot pavements
• Ensuring constant access to drinking water in the home and outside
• Wetting the dog, where appropriate
• Keeping cool any vehicle in which the dog is travelling
• Recognising signs of heat-related illness, such as panting, drooling, vomiting, and lethargy, and taking immediate action, including seeking veterinary advice

As there is a heightened risk of heat-related illness in flat-faced dogs and dogs with thick coats, owners and carers of these breeds are legally required to take extra steps to protect their dog in warm weather, according to the analysis. These include:

• More careful limits on exercise in warm weather
• More frequent cooling/wetting of the dog
• More frequent observation of the dog for signs of heat-related illness
• Monitoring weather forecasts so that adaptations can be made to the dog’s environment or exercise plans in advance.

While owners with concerns about a dog suspected of having heat-related illness are always encouraged to seek veterinary advice, LAGECDogs urges anyone responsible for a dog to familiarise themselves with public education campaigns such as “Dogs Die on Hot Walks”, which reflects new RVC VetCompass evidence that walking dogs in hot weather is a greater risk than confinement alone.

LAGECDogs’ legal analysis alerts owners that failing to take reasonable steps to protect dogs in hot weather could breach Sections 4 and 9 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, potentially leading to prosecution, fines or imprisonment.

Dr Dan O’Neill, associate professor of companion animal epidemiology at the RVC, and part of LAGECDogs, said: “Owning a dog brings great joy but also holds a responsibility to protect that dog from unnecessary harm or suffering, and the RVC continues to support strengthening public and professional awareness of the steps that should be taken during warm conditions.

“This new legal analysis from LAGECDogs is a critical tool that links legal and scientific evidence to explain to the UK general public about their legally binding responsibility to take all reasonable steps to prevent heat-related illness in dogs. As climate change progresses, it may become a legally reasonable step in the future to avoid acquiring a dog with an extreme conformation that predisposes the animal to heat-related illness.”