It can take as little as 15 minutes for a dog to die of heat stroke. Dogs do not have sweat glands, so the only way to regulate their body temperature is to be in the cool, with water and when you see them excessively panting- they’re cooling themselves down! 

Tarmac radiates heat as quickly as it absorbs it. For example, if it’s 20° air temperature, then the tarmac can be 35°. Too hot for a human to walk on, so too hot for a dog to walk on. This will cause blistering and burns to their paws. Meaning expensive vet bills, and not to mention excruciating pain for the dog.

It’s been known for a while that you should always test the floor temperature with your own feet, before making the decision to walk your dog. Ask yourself ‘if you can’t do it, why would you make your dog do it’.

It takes tarmac roughly around 1-2 hours to cool, after being in direct sunlight. So the appropriate time to walk your dog after a hot day of 20° and over, is early morning and late evening. When the sun has gone down. But even then, remember the air temperature may still be warm. So be sure to take water with you.

Far too many family fur babies die every year from heat stroke due to negligence, and ignorance. A dogs average body temperature is 38/39° so anything over 40/41° can become fatal if not recognised quickly.

I understand some people do not have gardens which allow their pets to do their business. So a couple of minutes outside for your dog to do what he/she needs is acceptable. When you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go! This does not mean walking them to the local park for it though… 

However, I believe fines should be enforceable if ANYONE is seen walking a dog in 20° heat and over by the police during 11am-6pm. I hope people are confident enough to report this if they see it happening! But make sure you have supporting evidence.