Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Antwerp police rescued a dog left in a hot car at Mastplein. The owner received 2 tickets. Police warn against leaving pets in cars, even with open windows, due to heat risks.
As VRT News reported, the Antwerp police are working to stop people from leaving animals in hot cars. They are telling everyone again about this problem. Some people think that if they open a window a little bit, it will be safe. But the police say that this is not enough to keep the animals safe.
Wouter Bruyns from the Antwerp police is confused because people still leave their pets in these situations. It is known that cars get very hot when they are in the sun. Even if the window is open a little, it doesn’t stop the car from getting too hot. If the animal doesn’t have water, it could die.
Why did Antwerp police rescue a dog left in a hot car?
Last Wednesday, April 23, 2025, Antwerp police intervened at Mastplein due to a dog that had been left in a parked car under the hot sun. The officers noticed the car and saw the dog on the back seat, barking. The car was unlocked, with a slightly open window, allowing the police to quickly access and rescue the animal.
Wouter Bruyns of the Antwerp police reported that the dog looked upset, sweating, and thirsty, but not in direct harm. The officers allowed the dog to recover after it was rescued before confirming its safety. The temperature outside was 24°C, but the police explained that the car could have been much hotter.
He mentioned that cars get hot quickly, even when it doesn’t feel that hot outside. The police want pet owners to remember the dangers. They want people to always keep their pets safe and never leave them in parked cars, even if the window is a little open.
The dog’s owner got 2 tickets from the police. The police warned that it’s unsafe and not right to leave a dog by itself in a hot car, even for a short period. They instructed all pet owners to never leave their dogs in parked cars, regardless of how long they are going to be away.
If people need to go somewhere and can’t take their dog with them, the police said to leave the dog tied up outside in a place where there is shade and water. The police hope that these warnings will help to stop these things from happening again in the future.
