A WARRANT has been issued for the arrest of the man - apparently a dog dealer - who left nine puppies in a sweltering car in Weymouth last week.

The man, who lives in the north of England, is said to have left the nine animals in a car parked by the Condor Ferry Terminal while he went on a day trip to the Channel Islands.

The dogs were rescued when a Weymouth and Portland Borough Council parking attendant heard a dog barking in the Irish-registered vehicle after she spotted the fact that it didn't have a parking ticket.

The parking attendant alerted police officers and the RSPCA who were able to get into the car and get the dogs out.

The nine puppies - five Jack Russells, three Papillons and a Westie cross - were taken to Fielding and Cumber veterinary clinic where they were treated for heat exhaustion.

It is believed police officers contacted the man when he was on the ferry on his way back to Weymouth.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council parking department technical officer Richard Rolfe said colleagues who had been in the car park reported that he did not return to his car, but instead drove off the ferry in a hired van with another person.

Mr Rolfe said: "We think he was a breeder because a diary was found with business transactions written inside. Some of the amounts were for thousands of pounds. The car had Irish plates on it and when he didn't come back they impounded it."