Dogs in the UK are suffering and dying every summer from preventable heat exposure during walks. The problem is not awareness alone - it is the lack of clear, enforceable legal guidance on when it is too hot to exercise a dog.

UK law already requires owners to protect their animals from harm under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (Section 9):

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/45/section/9⁠

This law places a legal duty of care on every dog owner to prevent unnecessary suffering, including heatstroke, dehydration, burns, and distress. However, it does not define safe or unsafe temperatures for exercise.

The RSPCA advises owners to avoid walking dogs in extreme heat and to prevent paw burns and heatstroke, but this remains guidance only and is not legally enforceable:

https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/health/heatstroke⁠

This gap in the law means owners are left guessing, and dogs continue to be put at risk every summer due to inconsistent understanding and enforcement.

What this petition is calling for

This petition is asking for clear temperature thresholds to be written into UK animal welfare law or formal statutory guidance under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, so that expectations are legally clear and enforceable.

Proposed legal framework:

• Caution (20–25°C or pavement above 40°C): walks must be limited, shortened, and avoided during peak heat. Dogs must have constant access to water and shade.
• High risk (28°C or above or pavement above 52°C): non-essential exercise should be prohibited due to serious risk of heatstroke, burns, collapse, and death.

Public reporting system (Operation Snap-style)

This petition also proposes a simple reporting system allowing members of the public to submit photo or video evidence of dogs being walked in dangerous heat conditions. Reports would be reviewed by local authorities or animal welfare officers to identify serious or repeated cases of neglect and enable faster intervention.

Why this is needed

The law already requires responsible care, and authorities already have powers to:

• issue fines
• remove animals at risk
• prosecute severe neglect or cruelty

But without clear temperature-based thresholds written into law or statutory guidance, enforcement is inconsistent and preventable suffering continues.

The goal

This is not about criminalising responsible dog owners.

It is about making the law clear enough that:

• owners know exactly when it is unsafe to walk their dog
• enforcement is consistent and fair
• and preventable heat-related suffering is reduced

Clear rules save dogs. Confusion puts them at risk.

This petition calls for

Clear, legally defined temperature limits for exercising dogs in the UK

These limits to be written into law or statutory welfare guidance under the Animal Welfare Act 2006

A public reporting system to help identify dogs at risk during extreme heat

This issue is important to me because I have seen how quickly dogs can suffer in hot weather when owners are unsure what is safe. Heat-related illness in dogs is often preventable, yet it continues to happen due to a lack of clear, enforceable guidance on when it is too hot to exercise a dog.

I believe current UK law already sets out a strong duty of care under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, but it does not give practical clarity around temperature limits. This leaves too much room for confusion and inconsistent judgement during heatwaves.

This petition is about closing that gap by making expectations clear, reducing preventable suffering, and ensuring that responsible dog ownership is easier to understand and follow in real-world conditions.