Dog show tragedy: 30 pets die from heat stroke in hot van

The tragic incident is being investigated.

• Warning: This content and footage may be distressing

Around 30 dogs died of suffocation and heat stroke after being taken to a dog show in the back of a sweltering van in the Philippines.

Horrific footage, from earlier this month, shows helpers desperately trying to revive the dogs after they had been removed from the vehicle upon arrival at the Beagle Fanciers Club Dog Show in Marikina, near Manila, the Daily Mail reports.

The breeder could face up to 90 years in prison for transporting the animals without access to ventilation, according to a Philippines senator.

Animal lover Penny Cham posted a disturbing video of the animals on the concrete floor of the dog show venue on Facebook.

"By posting this video it is my hope that I can prevent another tragedy like this from happening again," she said.

"My intention is to teach those responsible a lesson by exposing what happened so they will realise the gravity of their actions.

"You know who you are and how many times a similar incident happened in the past because nobody gave a damn."

The dogs were of various breeds, including whippets, and their owner has reportedly since vanished.

The Philippine Canine Club, Inc. (PCCI), condemned the "tragic" incident and said it would investigate, reported CNN Philippines.

Francis Pangilinan, a senator, said: "It's time to stop treating animals as mere commodities.

"How we regard animals show our capacity for empathy and decency, kindness and humanity."