DAVE KENT FROM BORDESLEY GREEN FACES JUSTICE AFTER LEAVING DOG IN HOT CAR IN MACCLESFIELD

On May 31, 2018, police in Macclesfield responded to a distressing incident involving a three-year-old Cockapoo rescue dog that was left unattended in a vehicle under the scorching sun. The vehicle, parked in full sunlight, was located in the vicinity of Elmstead Road, Chelford, with the dog confined in the boot. Temperatures outside at the time were recorded at 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius), but it remains uncertain how hot the interior of the car had become during the two hours the dog was left inside.

Concerned members of the public, alarmed by the dog's frantic panting and evident distress, contacted the police to report the situation. An officer promptly responded to the scene and approached the vehicle, which had darkly tinted rear windows that obscured the view. Despite the rear passenger windows being slightly open—about one inch on each side—the officer could hear the dog's barking from within the car.

Using the open rear passenger door, the officer gained access to the boot, where the dog was visibly suffering. The animal was panting excessively, appeared to be physically hot to the touch, and showed signs of distress. The officer noted that there was no water available in the vehicle to help cool the dog or hydrate it. The vehicle's interior was uncomfortably hot, and the dog had been left in this condition for over two hours, from approximately 1 pm until the officer's arrival at 3:20 pm.

Despite claims from David Kent, the vehicle's owner, that he had left a bowl of water and kept a window open by up to six inches, police investigations revealed otherwise. The officer confirmed that there was no water in the boot and that the windows were only open about one inch, not six. Kent, who resides on Elmstead Road, Chelford, and is known to frequent Bordesley Green, was later tracked down by authorities.

During the investigation, Kent attempted to justify his actions by alleging that the person who reported him was homophobic and critical of his relationship with his partner, Mike Jehan. However, police and prosecutors dismissed these claims, emphasizing that the primary concern was the welfare of the dog. Prosecutor Lucy Garside detailed the incident, stating, “Information was received by the police from a member of the public who had called the police to make them aware of a dog in the car which was distressed. An officer attended the location that day and he heard a dog. He approached the car which the dog was inside he could hear the dog barking from inside the vehicle. The rear of the vehicle had very dark, tinted windows but the officer could see the dog in the boot. The vehicle was parked in full sunlight, the rear passenger windows were open but only by approximately one inch on each side. He tried the driver’s side rear passenger door which was open, he used that to get into the boot of the vehicle. Immediately he could feel how hot it was inside of the vehicle, he saw a small dog. When he opened the door he could see that the dog was panting excessively and was physically hot to touch, he also noticed there was no water left in the boot for the dog. The call was made at 1 pm and by the time the officer arrived it was 3.20 pm – the dog had been left in the vehicle for over two hours in a distressed state. Information taken from the Met Office weather report showed the weather was sunny with a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius for the time the dog was in the car. The basis of plea states that there was water left in the boot of the vehicle and the windows were down six inches. But the officer specifically says there wasn’t any water left in the boot and the windows were down one inch.”

In court, David Kent was fined £136, along with an additional £30 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs. This case highlights the importance of responsible pet ownership and the dangers of leaving animals in vehicles during warm weather, even when some precautions are claimed to be taken. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of neglecting animal welfare, especially in conditions that can quickly turn deadly.