A SHOPPER made desperate attempts to track down the owner of a red Skoda yesterday after a dog was left 'whimpering and yapping' inside the hot car. 

The worried resident was passed from 'person to person' at Sainsbury's in Witney as they tried to get an announcement made over the speakers about the long-haired dog. 

They explained how it was spotted 'curled up' in the back of the car at 2.45pm 'sounding generally distressed', with only a small 'three-inch' gap left open in the windows. 

Oxford Mail:

Temperatures reached highs of 29degrees in Witney yesterday. 

Is this the Oxford Mail's most outrageous comment? 

The shopper said: "I took a photo of car plate and went back into Sainsbury’s to get a message put out on the tannoy but busy staff passed me from person to person so by the time I finally gave the details to customer service and went back to my car, the car with the dog had gone.

"If anyone knows the owner of this dog who drives a red Vauxhall Octavia Skoda please tell them from me they shouldn’t own a pet as they clearly aren’t responsible enough!"

Oxford Mail:

The post on Spotted Witney sparked outrage with more than 130 people commenting and bashing the owner.

One woman said: “Tell them it’s NEVER acceptable to leave your dog in a car on even a slightly warm day let alone a boiling hot day like today. Absolutely disgusting and cruel.”

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Another person agreed, adding: “I cannot understand in this heat why would anyone take their dog shopping. Leave them at home. Or better still, don’t have a dog if you don’t know how to look after them.”

Every year the RSPCA warns drivers that dogs can die in hot cars.

The animal charity even urged passers by to dial 999 if they see a pet in distress.

It says: “A car can become as hot as an oven very quickly, even when it doesn’t feel that warm.

“When its 22 degrees, in a car it can reach an unbearable 47 degrees within the hour.”