from a sweltering car in the midday heat.

A member of staff at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries first noticed the Yorkshire terrier alone in a car in the parking lot of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital at about 11 a.m. last Thursday.

The woman worker became very concerned when she returned to the parking lot at 2 p.m. the same day and saw the dog still sitting there.

She managed to get into the car to rescue the dog and then took it back to her office until the owner could be reached.

Department Director John Barnes said the incident should never have arisen.

"Every year we see incidents like this happening, but it really is animal cruelty, so I would appeal to people never to leave their pets in their cars,'' said Mr. Barnes.

"The temperature inside cars can reach up to 150 degrees in the summer, and even when it's raining or overcast, it can still be very hot.

"It is an offence to keep dogs in cars for any length of time and people could be prosecuted.'' Mr. Barnes said the rescued Yorkshire terrier was eventually claimed by its owner, who was warned about the seriousness of what they had done.

But he said it usually was not uncaring owners who left their dogs in cars, but incompetent ones.

He added: "It is only usually owners who care about their dogs who would actually take them with them when they go out in the car.

"Most of the time it is not deliberate cruelty, it is ignorance and incompetence.

"But they must remember that animals can be seriously ill, or even die, if left to suffer in the heat. All we are asking is that people use common sense.''