Moment BBC interview on how to keep your pet safe in the heatwave is interrupted… by dog terrorising wildlife

This is the moment an ‘out-of-control’ dog grabbed a duck in its mouth in the background of a BBC News interview with the RSPCA on how to be a responsible pet owner during the heatwave. 

BBC Breakfast was speaking to the charity’s representative Lauren Bennett on the banks of the river in leafy Richmond-upon-Thames, south-west London, on Wednesday morning. 

She was addressing many dog owners’ concerns about how to keep your pooch safe amid sweltering temperatures that may reach as high as 40C later this week. 

And, while taking your dog swimming is likely a good way to help them cool off, viewers were shocked to see one pet snatch a duck behind where Ms Bennett was standing. 

The pooch can be seen in the clip, which aired live at around 7.45am on Wednesday, heading back to the river bank with a bird clenched firmly in its mouth. 

The dog then places the duck back on the ground but, as it begins to fly away, the pet jumps straight back into the water to chase after it. 

Both the BBC and Ms Bennett appeared not to notice and the interview carried on regardless. 

Many viewers were amused by the clip, which they thought was ironic given the content of the interview.   

One user wrote: ‘Seen this and my husband and I couldn’t stop laughing.’

‘Another classic BBC scene for the ages!’, a second said. Another added: ‘That is so bad especially considering they were interviewing someone from the RSPCA.’

It comes as Britain sweltered on Wednesday on its hottest ever June day with temperatures reaching a blistering 36.1C.

The 50-year record was first broken in Charlwood, Surrey, when the mercury reached 35.7C, surpassing the previous record of 35.6C set in 1976 during a ten-week heatwave, the Met Office said.

The June heat record was then pushed even higher, with 36.1C recorded in Gosport, Hampshire.

A rare red extreme heat warning came into force for just the second time on Wednesday morning, covering London, parts of the Midlands, and south-east Wales.

The Met Office has since extended it by three hours until 11.59pm on Thursday and to other southern areas across Dorset, Hampshire and Sussex.

An amber extreme heat warning has also been issued for Friday, which covers eastern and central England, and Saturday for parts of eastern England.

Alongside the warmth, there is also a chance of thunderstorms with a yellow warning in place for Thursday evening in south-west England.

The forecaster has predicted temperatures could reach 40C this week and said that the exceptional conditions pose a risk to life not just for vulnerable people, but across the wider population.

Britain’s highest temperature on record is 40.3C which was set in Coningsby in July 2022.