The RSPCA has renewed its plea to owners to not leave their pets in hot cars as dogs are losing their lives in the crippling heat after it emerged that two police dogs were left to die in a hot vehicle parked outside the headquarters of Nottinghamshire Police.

An RSPCA officer was called out to the Sherwood Lodge headquarters in Nottinghamshire and found two German shepherd dogs dead. An independent vet is carrying out post-mortem tests to establish how the animals died.

Yesterday (July 1st) was one of the hottest days of the year in the UK.

It has also been reported that a dog died after being left in a car in Chichester during the hot weather at the end of last week.

The RSPCA has been inundated with calls from members of the public who are worried about animals which have been trapped in hot environments such as cars or gardens without shade.

The Society received a whopping total of 1,058 calls with concerns for the welfare of dogs in the hot weather throughout June. 109 of those calls were taken on Monday (June 29) when temperatures topped 30 degrees. More than 250 calls were also received regarding other animals suffering in the heat.