Dyfed-Powys Police have confirmed that a man has been arrested after three dogs were found dead in a car in South Pembrokeshire.

A police spokesperson said that at approximately 6.30 pm on August 14, a report was received relating to concerns for the welfare of three dogs in a car in the Kilgetty area.

"Officers attended and recovered the bodies of the three dogs and a 50-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing animal suffering/cruelty and has been bailed pending further enquiries," said the spokesperson.

It is understood that the three labradors were discovered dead by their holidaymaker owners when they returned to their car after visiting Folly Farm.

RSPCA warning

Following the tragedy, the RSPCA is reminding people of how hazardous the inside of the vehicle can be for dogs.

They are concerned that people are not taking on advice and are continuing to leave their animals in places that are far too hot.

David Bowles, RSPCA director of communications, said: "With the topsy turvy weather recently, people may have been even more forgetful than usual about how hazardous the inside of a vehicle may be for an animal.

"Most people seem to know the 'don't leave dogs in hot cars' message, but I think they just don't think anything bad will happen to their pets, particularly if they're just leaving them for a few minutes.

"What people need to realise is that the next animal to die in a hot car, conservatory or outbuilding could be their pet, that's how serious this is.

"Despite a fairly mixed summer, our national control centre still received 1,399 calls about animals in distress because of the warm weather in July. But, with temperatures in August soaring to 27 degrees celsius in some parts of England and Wales, we are expecting even more."

Protect your pet from heatstroke

All too often, owners make the mistake of thinking that it is sufficient to leave a bowl of water or a window open for their pet, but this is not enough to protect your pet from heatstroke, which can have fatal consequences. Even a hot garden without shade can be disastrous for an animal.

For example, the temperature inside a vehicle can soar to 47 degrees within 60 minutes when the outside temperature is just 22 degrees.