After shopping at IKEA Alexandra on Oct. 15, 2023, a Singaporean woman and her husband were preparing to drive home when they noticed movement inside the car parked next to theirs.
As the woman looked closer, she was horrified to discover a dog left unattended inside the locked car.
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Alerted security
Speaking to Mothership, Ng shared that she was concerned and anxious for the dog as a fellow pet owner.
She stepped out of her car to check on the dog and realised that it had been left alone for a considerable amount of time, as the car's bonnet felt cool to the touch. This was around 8pm.
The dog, which Ng believed to be a Japanese Spitz, was seen pacing back and forth inside the car.
After waiting about five minutes to see if the owner would return, Ng and her husband notified the building security.
"So we went up, and the security was very nice. They asked us for the car plate number, so we passed it to them," Ng recounted.
The security team then made an announcement over the building's public announcement system, requesting the owner of the car to return to the vehicle.
Ng and her husband waited by the car, and after some time, they were approached by a man.
However, he was not the owner of the car.
Dog was locked in car for more than 30 minutes
The man was another passerby who had earlier seen the dog in the car and was concerned about its well-being.
He informed Ng that he had seen the dog at 7:37pm and had taken a picture.
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By then, more than 10 minutes had passed since Ng and her husband first discovered the dog.
"So basically means the dog has been in the locked car for at least 30 minutes," she said.
Increasingly worried for the dog, the group continued waiting at the car park for the dog's owner.
Owner returned to the car
Moments later, a man approached the group, appearing to be "very upset".
"Is there a problem? Why are you reporting my car?" he allegedly said.
Ng explained to the owner that they were concerned for the well-being of his dog and asked him to check on it.
The owner insisted that there was nothing to worry about because he had left the dog in the car for "a short while" and claimed the car had "cooled down".
Ng pointed out that leaving the dog unattended for more than 30 minutes in the car is cruel.
In response, the owner decided to show that his dog was "fine".
Ng said he unlocked the car door, and the dog immediately went to him.
However, Ng felt it was not the point and asked him to put himself in his dog's shoes.
"I asked, 'Why don't you lock yourself in the car, no air con, no water, no ventilation for half an hour and see how you feel?'"
The owner claimed he could stay in the car for one to two hours.
"He said, 'But that's still my problem, it's none of your problem, and don't be a busybody with what I do with my dog.'" Ng claimed.
After giving Ng a piece of his mind, he allegedly got into his car and drove off.
Owner did not seem worried about the dog
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Ng said she was unhappy that the dog's owner did not seem concerned about his pet.
She felt he was more focused on questioning why they had reported his car rather than caring about his dog's well-being.
Shortly after they left, the other passerby contacted Ng to tell her that he saw the car shift to another parking lot instead of leaving the car park.
Ng was shocked.
"I feel very strongly about this being a pet owner and knowing of friends’ pets, unfortunately, passing on because of their dog boarders' negligence by keeping the dogs locked in a car to run a short errand," she explained.
Reported to SPCA and AVS
Ng subsequently reported the matter to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). The hotline operator then advised her to contact the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) too.
She did so and has since been contacted by AVS for more information.
In response to Mothership's queries, Aarthi Sankar, Executive Director of SPCA, strongly advises pet owners to not leave their pets unattended in their car.
"We strongly advise pet guardians to never leave an animal unattended in a stationary vehicle, even with the windows partially open. In Singapore’s hot and humid weather, a stationary vehicle can transform into an oven as the temperature rises rapidly."
Interiors of cars can reach 43°C when parked
She explained that with ambient temperatures of 31°C to 32°C, the interior of a car can reach a scorching 43°C within just 10 minutes.
"Coupled with the lack of adequate airflow, your pet will be stressed and may be panting, overheating and dehydrated within minutes," She said.
"Dogs, for instance, rely on panting to dispel heat. However, if the humidity levels are too high, they struggle to cool themselves, and their body temperature may rise steeply to dangerous levels, potentially resulting in heatstroke and even fatality."
"We urge all pet guardians to prioritise the safety and well-being of your furry companion by never leaving them unattended in stationary vehicles."
SPCA also stated that anyone who has credible information about the person can contact them at depinspector@spca.org.sg.
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