Dog owner's appalling act leaves thousands furious
- Replies 12
In the throes of Australia's intense summer heat, an act of negligence—or perhaps of unassuming cruelty—has ignited a firestorm against a dog owner on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
The dog owner could be facing criminal charges after his pet was spotted tied up to a parked ute for hours in the middle of a scorching hot day.
In a photo that spread online, the German Shepherd can be seen lying on the ground behind the vehicle, partially covered by the vehicle’s shade.
A long leash was seen connected to its collar from side of the ute, while a water bowl sat in the sun. Temperatures have been soaring to 32.9 degrees in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast where the incident was spotted.
The man who took the photo had just come across the scene and shared it on social media with the caption: 'I am leaving now after two hours and the dog is still there under the sun on a very hot day.'
'He has some water but the good boy seems a bit agitated and I am not sure what to do. I am not from this area so I don’t know if this is OK.'
'I just know that I wouldn’t want to be in the dog’s situation.'
The post quickly caused outrage among users who encouraged the witness to report the 'shocking' incident and called for the owner to be prosecuted.
Others also attempted to contact local businesses to help rescue the animal, while one concerned user reported the matter to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) using the image.
'Sick of seeing things like this, it makes my blood boil,' one replied.
While another said: 'He’s going to die there.'
The man who shared the photo on social media had returned later to see how the dog was doing.
'I put my finger in his water and of course it was hot,' he said.
'I took my water bottle and put some water in it and the dog came to me and started drinking water from my hand as I was pouring more and more.
'Then the dog went again closer to the car, and only half of his body was under the shadow.
'We also moved his water under the truck so it doesn’t continue getting hot.'
According to the Sunshine Coast Council, all dogs tied up must be under 'direct supervision' and failure to do so would result in a $309 on-the-spot fine.
The regulations around tethering animals may differ from council to council, but generally, dogs cannot be left tied up and alone.
'A dog is under effective management in a public place if it is restrained to a fixed object and is under the direct supervision of a person who is physically able to manage the dog,' local laws read.
'Direct supervision means the supervising person is physically present within a proximate distance of the animal under supervision, such that the person is able to respond immediately to manage the animal's behaviour.'
A spokesperson for RSPCA Queensland reiterated that they do 'not promote tethering as a permanent means of containment, no matter what council area you live in'.
'The RSPCA would discourage tethering a dog to a vehicle in a car park for several reasons,' the spokesperson said.
'The heat of the day enhances heat felt from the ground; the heat of the ground could cause water provided to also heat up.
'If unattended, dogs are at risk of entanglement.'
'The dog could [also] become injured from another vehicle in the car park [or] a vehicle accident may result if a driver in the area is startled by a dog.
'The dog is [also] vulnerable to any person in the area who could cause the dog harm or release it, and [may be a cause of] concern for any injury the dog may cause to passersby.'
The RSPCA spokesperson urged everyone who witnesses any act of animal cruelty to report the situation to the RSPCA website 'as soon as they become aware'.
You may also contact the following hotlines to report such incidents:
Members, have you witnessed something similar in your area? Share your experience with us in the comments below!
The dog owner could be facing criminal charges after his pet was spotted tied up to a parked ute for hours in the middle of a scorching hot day.
In a photo that spread online, the German Shepherd can be seen lying on the ground behind the vehicle, partially covered by the vehicle’s shade.
A dog was allegedly left by its owner under the scorching summer heat in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Image source: Reddit.
A long leash was seen connected to its collar from side of the ute, while a water bowl sat in the sun. Temperatures have been soaring to 32.9 degrees in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast where the incident was spotted.
The man who took the photo had just come across the scene and shared it on social media with the caption: 'I am leaving now after two hours and the dog is still there under the sun on a very hot day.'
'He has some water but the good boy seems a bit agitated and I am not sure what to do. I am not from this area so I don’t know if this is OK.'
'I just know that I wouldn’t want to be in the dog’s situation.'
The post quickly caused outrage among users who encouraged the witness to report the 'shocking' incident and called for the owner to be prosecuted.
Others also attempted to contact local businesses to help rescue the animal, while one concerned user reported the matter to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) using the image.
'Sick of seeing things like this, it makes my blood boil,' one replied.
While another said: 'He’s going to die there.'
The man who shared the photo on social media had returned later to see how the dog was doing.
'I put my finger in his water and of course it was hot,' he said.
'I took my water bottle and put some water in it and the dog came to me and started drinking water from my hand as I was pouring more and more.
'Then the dog went again closer to the car, and only half of his body was under the shadow.
'We also moved his water under the truck so it doesn’t continue getting hot.'
According to the Sunshine Coast Council, all dogs tied up must be under 'direct supervision' and failure to do so would result in a $309 on-the-spot fine.
The regulations around tethering animals may differ from council to council, but generally, dogs cannot be left tied up and alone.
'A dog is under effective management in a public place if it is restrained to a fixed object and is under the direct supervision of a person who is physically able to manage the dog,' local laws read.
'Direct supervision means the supervising person is physically present within a proximate distance of the animal under supervision, such that the person is able to respond immediately to manage the animal's behaviour.'
A spokesperson for RSPCA Queensland reiterated that they do 'not promote tethering as a permanent means of containment, no matter what council area you live in'.
'The RSPCA would discourage tethering a dog to a vehicle in a car park for several reasons,' the spokesperson said.
'The heat of the day enhances heat felt from the ground; the heat of the ground could cause water provided to also heat up.
'If unattended, dogs are at risk of entanglement.'
'The dog could [also] become injured from another vehicle in the car park [or] a vehicle accident may result if a driver in the area is startled by a dog.
'The dog is [also] vulnerable to any person in the area who could cause the dog harm or release it, and [may be a cause of] concern for any injury the dog may cause to passersby.'
The RSPCA spokesperson urged everyone who witnesses any act of animal cruelty to report the situation to the RSPCA website 'as soon as they become aware'.
You may also contact the following hotlines to report such incidents:
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