A man and a woman left Stafford in a hot car, who died as a result. They received suspended sentences

“In the case, a criminal order was issued, by which the accused were legally found guilty of the offense of neglecting the care of an animal due to negligence, and they were sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, suspended for a probationary period of 12 months,” court spokeswoman Markéta Bartizalová informed Novinky.

This is a half-rate penalty. The decision is final and both the man and the woman have agreed to it.

According to the police, the couple left the dog in the car near the zoo in Hluboká nad Vltavou in mid-July. The car was in direct sunlight. “The air temperature at that time was around twenty-eight degrees,” pointed out police spokesman Jiří Matzner.

The staffordshire terrier trapped in the collapsed car was also spotted by zoo visitors who immediately called the police. They also tried to break the window of the car, which was unsuccessful.

In the meantime, the called patrol got the owner’s number. “However, she still hung up when the call rang. After a while she came to the car, which she unlocked. The dog was in a very serious condition,” described the police spokesman.

So Stafford was in the car for almost an hour. Despite subsequent veterinary care, he died of dehydration and organ failure during the night.