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A UK man has pleaded guilty to allowing three dogs to die when locked inside a hot car for several hours.
Daisy, Mitch and Rascal were left inside Jonathan Theobald's vehicle for around five hours in June, while he went to the gym.
When he returned, two of the dogs were already dead and he tried and failed to save the third.
(RSPCA)
Justin Stubbs, an RSPCA inspector who investigated the incident, said the dogs suffered a slow, "agonising" death.
"The dogs would have overheated, they would have had fits. They may have slowly cooked, essentially."
Theobald pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the dogs by confining them in an environment which was detrimental to their well-being and led to their death.
(RSPCA)
While it was likely an accident, Mr Stubbs said people shouldn't leave their animals locked in cars even for short periods, especially not in summer.
"There is no good reason to even risk it by taking your dog in your car in warm weather and leaving it while you just pop into the shop or just pop into your doctor's appointment.
"'Not long' is still too long."
(RSPCA)
At court, Theobald was visibly distressed and apologised for the incident, according to BBC News.
"I am appalled by what happened. I have shed a lot of tears since then," he said.
"I understand the RSPCA has a job to do and I don't want this to happen again."
Newshub.
