So hot, police dogs left in car die

TWO police dogs have died after being left inside a vehicle parked outside Nottinghamshire police headquarters on one of the hottest days of the year.

It is believed the dogs' handler was not on duty at the time and had called in to the force's headquarters at Sherwood Lodge, leaving the dogs to over-heat in the parked car, reported Reuters.

It is not known how long they were left in the car but temperatures in Nottingham on Wednesday hit 29.4 deg C.

According to UK's Met Office website, the mean summer temperature from 1971 to 2000 is 14.1 deg C, the same as 2007.

The force said the German shepherds were discovered at Sherwood Lodge headquarters in Arnold on Tuesday.

According to the Press Association, the dogs were donated to carry out police work, including tracking down criminals and providing security at major events in the county.

The case has also been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

'This is a tragic incident and we value the important work our police dogs carry out on a daily basis,' said Assistant Chief Constable Peter Davies.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it was now investigating the incident.

The Dogs Trust, UK's largest dog welfare charity, said it was 'saddened' by the news.

A spokesman said: 'While the cause of death is still to be determined, the charity would like to remind dog owners and police dog handlers that leaving your dog locked in a car can prove fatal, particularly during a heatwave.'

The spokesman added that it can take just 20minutes for a dog to die and temperatures reach over 40 deg C in some vehicles.

A vet is carrying out post-mortems to establish how the animals died.

Dehydration is likely to have been a significant factor.

The Times Online reported that temperatures are set to soar even though the past month had already been the hottest, driest and sunniest month since July 2006, according to records.

The maximum sentence for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal is six months in prison and a £20,000 ($48,000) fine.

Nottinghamshire Police said the handler has not been suspended.

Female bankruptcies surge due to lure of celebrity lifestyle

A STUDY in Britain has found that young women are 'lured into bankruptcy by celebrity lifestyle'.

Their quest to have that slinky Victoria Beckham look or a flirty Paris Hilton tog has caused a surge in female bankruptcies, said The Daily Telegraph.

New research from accountancy firm Wilkins Kennedy reveals that 55 per cent of bankrupts under the age of 24 were women last year, reported The Independent.

This was just 48 per cent five years ago.

In total, 1,560 women under 24 were declared bankrupt compared to 1,250 men in the same age group.

Many young women have become trapped in debt because they buy designer clothes and accessories to display the 'trappings of success', the study said.

Mr Anthony Cork of Wilkins Kennedy, told the Daily Mail: 'Five years ago it tended to be young men who got out of their financial depth, but now it is far more likely to be young women who spend irresponsibly.

'That gap between the genders seems to be growing. Over the last decade, the pressure on young women to follow the lavish lifestyle of female celebrities has grown immensely.

'In all seriousness we are told that Paris Hilton and Victoria Beckham are role models to be followed. The growing availability of credit has meant that for the status-conscious, who want to exhibit the trappings of success, designer clothes and jewellery seem misleadingly achievable.'

The researchers said young men did not appear to feel the social pressure to 'spend conspicuously' or set up on their own to the same extent that women do.

Gender pay gap

As a result, they are able to build up a bigger cushion of savings. The extra pressures on women are exacerbated by the gender pay gap, although this is relatively small among under-24s.

Last year, around 67,500 people in all age groups went personally bankrupt in England and Wales, an increase of 89 per cent over the past five years.

Overall, those over the age of 45 are the most likely to go bankrupt, as falling house prices and rising unemployment reduces their ability to manage debt.

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