Police Break Window to Save Dog in Warm Car ... Turns Out It's a Toy

Police in the United Kingdom saw a still dog inside a vehicle on a warm day. Not wishing for the dog to perish in the heat, the authorities came to its rescue and smashed the window.

Unfortunately, their efforts were for naught. According to the BBC, "Little Willey", who appears to be a King Charles Cavalier, was really a very realistic looking toy. The incident happened in Nottinghamshire after police responded to a "call made in good faith" and resulted in about $288 worth of damage.

Luckily, Little Willey's owner Gordon Williams, 80, believes the police did the right thing:

"I know Little Willy is quite realistic and if they weren't sure about it, they did a good thing as we don't want any more dogs dying in the heat of a car," said Mr. Williams.

The police used this mistake to make a statement asking residents to think twice about what they leave in their vehicle in plain view:

"In this case officers believed a dog could be suffering due to the heat of the day and its life was potentially at risk, so felt there was no other option but to enter the vehicle.

"This is a perfect example of why drivers need to think about what they leave on view in their car, both in terms of other people's perception of the objects and in a bid to deter opportunist thieves."

BBC reports that Williams and the police are in discussion over the cost of the damage. Williams said for now Little Willey won't be taking any car rides with him.

[H/T Jalopnik]