Overview

• Police in Essen intervened after a passerby spotted a dog left in a parked car at 29 °C for nearly 40 minutes, and officers are now investigating the owner for violating the Tierschutzgesetz.
• PETA has lodged a criminal complaint against the Essen owner and is demanding a prohibition on animal ownership to deter future neglect.
• In Köthen, the volunteer fire department broke a car window to free a dog left alone in sweltering heat for about 90 minutes, and its owner now faces a fine.
• German authorities warn that vehicle interiors can rise to life-threatening temperatures within minutes and have stepped up enforcement against pet owners who leave animals in hot cars.
• Advocacy groups and police stress that preventing heat-related harm to animals requires both greater public awareness and stricter legal accountability under existing animal welfare laws.