The pictures that prove you should keep your dog inside during the heatwave

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London’s pavements are so hot this week that experts say you shouldn’t walk your dog on them.

The rule of thumb is simple: if it’s too hot for the back of your hand, it’s too hot for their paws.

But despite repeated warnings during the heatwave, animal charities say some owners are still taking dogs out during the hottest part of the day.

New research by Greenpeace shows just how extreme conditions have become. While air temperatures hovered in the mid-30s, pavements, roads and station platforms across London were found to be dramatically hotter.

The lobby group took thermal images across London on Wednesday when air temperatures reached 35°C.

Greenpeace UK’s head of climate Mel Evans said: ‘This record-smashing heatwave has turned London into a sticky, sizzling cauldron. This isn’t just weather – it’s a public health emergency driven by fossil fuel giants and their planet-heating emissions.

‘These abnormal temperatures are stretching homes, schools, transport and our own health to breaking point, and yet the government has been caught off guard.

‘Ministers need to stop winging it and deliver a proper extreme heat plan, with cooler homes and schools, safe limits for workers, more shade and green space, and clear protection for the most vulnerable. But adaptation alone won’t be enough.

‘Political leaders must also stop fossil fuel companies from turning up the heat on our planet – and make them pay their fair share to fix the problem they’ve caused.’

Professor Stephen Belcher, chief scientist at the Met Office, described this week’s heatwave as a ‘significant weather event’.