'I didn't mean it': Owner of dog that died in hot car breaks down in tears

WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT. The owner of a dog killed after being left in a car for two hours on a 30 degree day has broken down in tears, saying he "didn't mean it".

The male mastiff, named Bully, was unable to be saved by members of the public after they spotted him near a shopping centre in Perth on Wednesday.

Footage shows the concerned pedestrians removing Bully from the boiling car before a vet nurse passing by pulled over and performed CPR.

On Thursday, dog owner Steve made a tearful apology, saying he "didn't mean for this".

"If I could take it back I would. I made one simple error," he said.

"To the public out there, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this."

Amy Middleton was one of the passerbys who helped try to keep the dog alive and said she is devastated.

“It just wasn't enough, we lost him and everyone there at that moment was beyond sorry for that animal,” Ms Middleton wrote.

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“We were all utterly heartbroken and angry that anyone could do this!”

RSPCA WA chief inspector Amanda Swift said it was a cloudy 27C in Perth but the temperature inside the cars could have been double.

She said a dog could suffer heat stress and die within six minutes and parking in shade or underground with windows down offered little relief.

"I'm deeply saddened and frustrated by the loss of an innocent dog yesterday, who died in horrific circumstances as a result of people's negligence," Ms Swift said.

"Dogs dying from being left in parked cars is not acceptable. It's an offence and it's completely avoidable.

"I can't understand why the message isn't sinking in and why dog owners continue to put their pets' lives in danger."

Since December 1, RSPCA WA has received 132 reports of dogs in hot cars.

Anyone who leaves a dog in a car faces a maximum penalty of $50,000 or five years' imprisonment and can be banned from owning an animal for a period.