The following reports are but a fraction of the hundreds, even thousands, of instances where every year dogs are left in parked cars to die. A lucky few survive. (One county animal shelter reports getting three to six heat-related calls of animal cruelty or animals in distress each day.) Also, many young children die as a result of being left in parked cars in the summertime. One Web site tracked 16 toddlers and infants dead in 2008 in the span of only two months.
10/03/07 (reported), Tampa, FL
A Hillsborough County Doctor faces animal cruelty charges, accused of leaving his dog in a locked, hot car in the parking lot of Southbay Hospital. Hillsborough Animal Services investigators were called to the hospital parking lot, after a witness noticed a dog locked in a white BMW. Just as investigators were preparing to bash out the windows in the luxury car, the doctor walked up. He was issued a notice to appear in court on a charge of animal cruelty and was released on his own recognizance. His female, a 10-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback named "Rainbow," was seized by investigators for evaluation by a veterinarian, then returned to the doctor, who was ordered to take her to his regular veterinarian for treatment. (tampabays10.com)
09/18/07 (reported), Melbourne, FL
A couple who left their 5-year-old Boston terrier at a day care facility before leaving for a wedding in Pennsylvania later learned the animal died in a hot car. An employee at the Woof Play Care Center called them four days later to tell them their dog had died. "My girls left them in the van," was the reason. The Woof Play Care Center has handled many dogs in its three-year existence, including dogs from Hurricane Katrina. The center released a statement about the situation that said, "It's tragic, our hearts go out to them. We're grieving over this too, and we'll never forget it." (WESH 2)
08/29/07, Murrieta, CA
Two dogs died from the heat in two separate cases of owners leaving their pets chained outside with inadequate shade and water. It is illegal to chain an animal or to fail to provide adequate shelter and water. Animal control officers received a report hat two dogs left outside in very hot weather were in distress and "that the dogs were screaming." When officers arrived, one dog, a 1-year-old female pit bull mix, was dead. Her temperature was 109 degrees, and she had been so desperate to reach water that her chain was wrapped five times around her neck. The other dog, which was in a more shaded area, received veterinary care and appears to be OK. The owner said he hadn't left the dogs for long, but according to the vet who examined them, the dogs had been there for at least three hours. Later in the day, officers received yet another report of a dog left chained in the heat. That dog, which appeared to be a Labrador retriever, also died. Charges are being sought against the owners for animal cruelty, neglect and illegal chaining. Officers are finding lately that even when pet owners provide a dish of water, it is inadequate. The average stainless steel dish gets too hot, is too small and is too easily overturned. In this kind of heat, owners should leave a large tub of water for dogs that must be left outside. (The Press-Enterprise)
08/26/07, Portsmouth, NH
Based on her "Good Samaritan intent," a woman who liberated two dogs from a vehicle over the weekend and refused to return them to their owner until police arrived will not face criminal charges. Around 2:00pm the woman opened the unlocked door of a parked car to let out two dogs she felt were in distress because of the heat. The owner, who was nearby, said he had stepped out of his car to take some photographs and the dogs had only been in the car for 10 to 15 minutes. The two got into a verbal argument until police arrived to mediate the situation. Police determined the dogs were not in distress and were returned to the owner without incident. A police spokesman said that while the woman did not actually break into the vehicle, her act could be considered trespassing, but given the circumstances no charges will be filed. Regardless, he said he would not recommend others to act in a similar manner. "We would never recommend citizens take action like that into their own hands unless it is a true emergency when time is of the essence and police could not respond in a timely fashion," he said, adding that the department's response time for emergency calls is generally under three minutes. (Foster's Daily Democrat)
08/25/07, Zanesville, OH
Two Adamsville residents were charged with animal cruelty after three dogs were found in a hot car on Saturday. An officer responded to the Pick 'N Save parking lot after police received a call about dogs in a hot car. When the officer arrived he found three dogs — one large and two small ones — in a car where the windows were down a couple of inches. However, the officer observed blood in the vehicle and it appeared the dogs had been fighting. The Muskingum County Dog Warden was called, and it appeared the dogs had been in the car for about 50 minutes. A man and woman were charged with animal cruelty, a fourth-degree misdemeanor. (zanesvilletimesrecorder.com)
08/19/07, Olympia, WA
A 6-week-old shepherd-lab puppy was found inside a small cage on the front seat of a locked car. The outside temperature was in the upper 70s, meaning the inside temperature in the sun could reach 120 degrees. Police broke into the car and rescued the puppy before she succumbed to the heat. "When people abuse their animals like that it just heartbreaking," said an Animal Services spokeswoman. "We wish we could do more to the owners. Unfortunately we do have to work within the parameters of the law." The owner of the dog was cited for misdemeanor animal cruelty, and agreed to put the puppy up for adoption through Animal Services. (komotv.com)
08/17/07 (reported), Greenwood, IN
When a Tennessee mother and daughter who claim they rescue animals spent three days at a Holiday Inn in August, they left 22 dogs and cats caged in crates inside a van and SUV. A clerk at the hotel called police after guests all the way on the third floor complained of a stench coming through their vents. Police found the smell coming from the two vehicles, full of animals, on the lot. The 22 cats and dogs — malnourished, dehydrated, diseased — were piled together for days in 90-degree heat. Animal control officers call it one of the worst cases of animal cruelty they've seen. Four of the animals had to be hospitalized. One died. All of them have severe respiratory infections, but animal control says they will survive. Since one of the animals died, prosecutors plan to up the charges against the women to felonies. (wthr.com)
08/14/07, Panama City, FL
Local police are investigating the death of a three-month-old puppy after officers found it locked inside a hot car for over two hours. A couple left the animal in the mall parking lot while they went shopping. When officers arrived, the puppy was severely dehydrated with a temperature of over 107 degrees. Investigators rushed it to a nearby animal hospital after attempting to save its life. The puppy died a few hours later. Officers initially charged a 17-year-old man with one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty, but since the puppy died, he's now facing a felony charge. His 18-year-old girlfriend is also facing felony charges. (wjhg.com)
08/12/07, Belleville, ON, Canada
Local police this summer have witnessed a significant increase in the number of calls reporting animals — specifically dogs — which have been left in parked vehicles on hot days. The latest incident occurred in the lot of a shopping plaza when a dog was noticed panting inside a parked car. After searching in vain for the owner of the canine, a police officer managed to unlock the vehicle through a crack in the window. The animal was removed from the vehicle and turned over to the local Humane Society. Later, after police were advised the vehicle had been driven away, the owner was located and "strongly cautioned" by officers. The canine was returned to the owner later in the day. (Belleville Intelligencer)
08/10/07, Boulder, CO
A passer-by called police about 2:30pm after seeing two possibly overheated dogs in an SUV at a Whole Foods parking lot. The caller opened the car's unlocked doors and rolled down the windows to give the animals more air until officers arrived. Animal control officers removed the dogs when the owners — a husband and wife shopping for groceries with their infant at the time — didn't respond to several pages over the store's loudspeaker. When the couple returned to the parking lot after 3:00pm, they found a ticket for animal neglect taped to their SUV's window and a notice that their two dogs had been impounded. The officers, with the dogs crated in the back of an animal-control van, were about to pull away when the couple returned. The couple dispute the allegation of the ticket. The husband said he and his wife were inside Whole Foods only briefly, and they take good care of their dogs — a German shepherd-Labrador mix named Avi and a Rottweiler-Lab mix called Cali. "My dogs are treated fine," he said. "It's no one's business how we treat our animals." (dailycamera.com)
08/10/07, Newmarket, ON, Canada
A passerby noticed two panting dogs locked inside a sweltering vehicle at a local parking lot. The windows of the car were slightly opened, but not enough to offer the dogs much relief. With no owner in sight, the passerby called police who unlocked the doors upon arrival. The dogs survived unhurt. The owner of the dogs wasn't charged, despite leaving the animals unattended for up to an hour, thus avoiding a possible $2,000 fine or six months in jail. (citynews.ca)
08/09/07, Glendale, KY
A man will be charged with misdemeanor second-degree cruelty to animals after his dog died from heat exposure and lack of water. He said it was an accident, that a child let the dog outdoors on a leash for only a few hours. He didn't know one of his two dogs had been let outside when he received a 2:00pm call at work from animal control officers informing him of criminal charges filed against him. The dog was outside for four hours or less before it died, he said. He wasn't sure if it was the heat that actually caused the animal's death, but said the temperature was at or above 100 degrees that day. "I thought both dogs were inside when I left for work that day," he said. It is illegal for people to leave animals staked outside or inside a vehicle without water during periods of heat, such as this summer. (The News-Enterprise)
08/08/07, Washington, DC
With outside temperatures in triple digits, two "pet" owners visiting from Indiana found themselves each facing one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty. They left their dogs, Nigel and Belle, a Chihuahua and Lhaso apso, in their car for more than half an hour while they made housing accommodations. Police say it could have been 110 degrees inside the vehicle. The dogs were taken to an animal hospital and treated with IV fluids and nursed back to health. "An animal should never be left in the car at any time," said a veterinarian at the hospital. "You should think of an animal like your children. You wouldn't want to leave your children for any length of time. In this weather right now it's very irresponsible because they can get overheated in minutes in the hot car." (abc7news)
08/07/07, Wonder Lake, IL
A man who left his 5-year-old Australian sheepdog for two hours in his unlocked parked car with closed windows while he visited his girlfriend faces a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge. An anonymous caller tipped off police, who released the dog. The temperature in the car was at least 110 degrees; outside it was 92 degrees. When the man came out of the house and saw police with his dog, he said he didn't think he had done anything wrong. The dog was taken to a veterinarian and survived without permanent injury. If convicted, the man could face up to a $2,500 fine and a year in jail. (Northwest Herald)
08/07/07, Elizabethtown, KY
A woman charged with misdemeanor second-degree cruelty to animals said the criminal charge against her was a bit extreme, but a good reminder to keep water in her car when taking her dog with her. She had left her retriever in a car while volunteering for four hours at the Serenity Club. She said she often took her dog with her, checking on it hourly while volunteering, but that day she was unable to leave the office to walk and water her dog as she usually did. "The windows were half-way down and there was a blind in the front window," she said. The parking lot where she left the animal is directly behind the courthouse and someone noticed the animal inside and called animal control officers. Officers told the woman the law requires water be left with dogs left inside a vehicle. "They didn't object to the dog being in the car, just that it didn't have any water," she said. "I didn't know that was a law." She said she didn't hold any grudges against whoever reported the situation to authorities and wasn't upset that she'd been charged. Her dog lived and is doing well. (The News-Enterprise)
08/05/07, Williamsburg, VA
Two people have been charged with one count each of animal cruelty, a Class 1 misdemeanor, leaving their dog in a hot car at the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center for three hours. Officers responding to the visitor center about 12:15pm found a small white dog inside a parked vehicle. The driver's side window was open about halfway, and passenger's side window was cracked about one inch. There was no water in the car for the dog to drink, and officers measured the temperature inside the car to be 120 degrees. When officers tried to get into the vehicle, the dog became aggressive, so they instead placed a bowl of water through the window onto the driver's seat. The dog's owners returned to the car about 2:00pm, and told police they had left the dog at 11:00am, expecting to be gone for only a short time. The dog was initially seized by County Animal Control, but was later returned to the owners. (dailypress.com)
08/05/07, Torrevieja, Spain
After local police were notified that a dog inside a car showed obvious suffocating signs, a police officer used a jimmy to open the car door and remove the dog, a Husky, who was foaming at the mouth. Neighbors threw water on the dog to cool him down, an action credited with taking the dog out of immediate danger. At a local vet clinic it was found that the dog was absolutely dehydrated, having been in the car for more than two hours. The vet's report certified severe hypothermia of more than 107 degrees F. After being cooled down to 102, the dog, still comatose, was admitted to the veterinary hospital in serious condition. The owners of the car were found, and were charged with abandoning an animal and putting his safety at severe risk. (torrevieja.com)
08/03/07, Toledo, OH
Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner is under fire for parking in a handicapped space and for leaving his dog in the car in 90-degree weather. He says he parked in the spot to keep his dog, Scout, cool in the shade. Scout, he said, had plenty of water. Radio call-in shows and Web sites have criticized the mayor for the illegal parking (for which he was ticketed) and for leaving his dog (for which he was not ticketed). The mayor said that he does not usually drive around with Scout and that he thinks these attacks are politically motivated. "We love that dog dearly," he said. "If he dies from anything, it's going to be from over-affection." (13abc.com)
08/03/07, Portsmouth, NH
A man left his 5-year-old Chihuahua, Coco, in his van for half an hour while running errands while the outside temperature was 93 degrees. When the man returned to his van, he found Coco unresponsive, although (he says) the windows were down and there was ice water in the van for the dog. The man attempted to cool off Coco by laying him on the ground in the Home Depot parking lot and dumping a gallon of water on him. When that didn't work, he tried using a fan to revive Coco. Store employees urged him to take Coco to a veterinarian, but the dog was declared dead on arrival. The man was charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty. (unionleader.com)
07/31/07, Canoga Park, CA
A man was arrested for felony animal neglect after his dog was left unattended in a car and died of apparent heat exhaustion. Passersby saw his Labrador retriever about 1:00pm in the unlocked car. Someone called 911, and another person tried to give the dog some water, but the animal went into convulsions and died, officials said. Police arrested the man a short time later and he is held on $20,000 bail. If convicted of felony animal neglect, the man could face up to three years in prison. (knbc.com)
07/31/07, Kingston, NH
A man was arrested on a charge of animal cruelty for leaving his 110-pound Great Dane in the car in the heat. About 15 people went store to store looking for the owner before calling police. The group then stood around in the heat as police attempted to get the dog, Rosie, out of the car. The department's door-opening tools didn't work because of safety features on the car, so police had to smash a window to get the Great Dane out. Rosie jumped right out after police put a blanket down so she wouldn't cut herself on the broken glass. At the time it was 87 degrees outside and more than 100 degrees inside the car, which was parked in direct sunlight. Although the windows had been left cracked open, it wasn't enough. "The dog was starting to feel the effects of the heat as a result of being left in the very hot car," police said. They took Rosie to the shade of some nearby trees and gave her water while they waited for the car's owner to return. The man was surprised to be arrested after finishing lunch at a plaza shops, but later realized how dangerous it was to have left Rosie in the car, said police. He was released on $1,000 personal recognizance. (The Eagle Tribune)
07/31/07, Toronto, ON, Canada
A Toronto Humane Society investigator was forced to break a car window to rescue a dog left in a parked car with oven-like conditions. The dog, a large breed Rottweiler weighing about 110 pounds, had been sealed in the locked car with no windows open for several hours. The temperature inside the vehicle had reached in excess of 158 degrees F. The official said the dog was "slumped over the back seat with his legs up and a blank stare forward, death stare we call it, foaming from the mouth and he was non-responsive. So I immediately smashed the window and opened the car doors and dragged the dog out and brought it onto the pavement." Bystanders poured buckets of cold water on the dog, hoping to revive him. Veterinarians rushed the dog to Humane Society headquarters and gave him oxygen and IV on arrival. It's too soon to know if the animal suffered brain damage. When the owner finally emerged after hearing his car alarm go off, the official handcuffed him to the vehicle while police were called. While the official left to tend to the dog, apparently an enraged witness attacked the owner as he was shackled to his car, since he was bleeding when officers arrived to take him away. Charges against the person who inflicted the beating may be pending. (citynews.ca)
Update: Cyrus's former "owner" pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and was put on probation for a year. He cannot have any contact with Cyrus or Cyrus's new caregivers, nor can he have another dog or cat for a year. He has to pay $3,534 to the Toronto Humane Society to cover expenses incurred in saving Cyrus. Two men were charged with assaulting the man while he was handcuffed to his SUV. The man explained that he had left Cyrus in his SUV because he was visiting a friend who had asked him not to bring the dog inside because there was a cat in the home. He said left Cyrus in the back of his SUV at about noon, returned a few times to turn on the air-conditioning, rolled the windows down a bit but did not leave any water. (The Toronto Star)
07/29/07, James City County, VA
Observant customers and a quick-thinking police officer saved a Jack Russell terrier from the confines of a hot car. The police officer, who was at the outlet mall on an unrelated call, went to help the dog, named Duke, after multiple shoppers alerted outlet security to its plight. The temperature topped 90 degrees Sunday, and the officer said he could see the terrier as soon as he approached the blue Jeep Cherokee. "Four of the windows were down about an inch and the dog's muzzle — nose and all — was stuck outside that crack as far as he could get it," he said. "He looked like he was in distress." With the help of an outlet security officer, the police officer stuck his police baton through the cracked window and used it to hit the unlock button on the door. He said Duke was panting heavily, and there was no food or water in the car. "We immediately were able to give him water and get him calmed down," he said. He estimated the dog had been left alone in the car for at least 45 minutes. After being released and having a drink, Duke lay down under a tree. When Duke's "owner" approached 10 to 15 minutes later, the police officer and animal control officers issued him a summons and explained the dangers of leaving an animal alone in a hot car. The "owner," a 32-year-old man from North Carolina, faces a charge of cruelty to animals, a Class 1 misdemeanor. (dailypress.com)
07/27/07, Lee County, FL
A deputy rescued a 7-pound terrier mix after he spotted the dog trapped in a car in the afternoon heat, poking her nose through a small window crack. When the dog's "owner" returned to the car, the deputy asked him about the dog. The man ignored repeated requests for his ID, got into his car, and nearly backed over the deputy as he drove away. Deputies followed the man to his house. He didn't have a valid driver's license and they say he resisted arrest. They took him to jail and officials with Animal Control confiscated the dog. The dog will likely be put up for adoption by Lee County Animal Services. The man was in jail, charged with cruelty to animals, resisting arrest, and driving on a suspended license. (nbc-2.com)
07/25/07, Ellsworth, ME
A mother and her adult daughter left their two dogs inside their car while they shopped at a Home Depot. When the women emerged from the store about 45 minutes later, the dogs had died from heat exhaustion. The women said they left their dogs inside the car but kept the engine and air conditioning running. When they returned to the car, the engine and air conditioning were not running. Police later observed the air-conditioning controls were in the on position and the keys were in the ignition. The women tried to administer CPR to the dogs, a Rottweiler and a Lab mix, but were unsuccessful. By that time, a Home Depot employee had called police The police have begun an investigation of animal cruelty. (boston.com)
07/25/07, Missoula, MT
A woman returned home from running errands and got distracted while getting her kids in the house. Her two elderly Labs were left in the car, and died in less than 30 minutes. The woman reported the deaths and was not ticketed. (missoulian.com)
07/23/07, Bitterroot Valley, MT
Two dogs died in a crew-cab truck on a 104-degree when their "owner" was busied with other projects. The dogs, Jake and Keeto, jumped in the truck with her as she ran a client back to Missoula. She said that on hot days Jake and Keeto usually ran for shade as soon as she got home, so she didn't notice their absence for a couple of hours. Both were rescued dogs; they loved to run along with her horses every day and clear grouse from the trail. The woman reported the incident and was not ticketed. She commented, "I know full well the dangers of heat. I got too focused on the next step of my life. By the time I recognized the dogs were in there, it was too late." (missoulian.com)
07/22/07, Sacramento, CA
A couple left their dog in a locked car while they dined in a local restaurant when the outside temperature was in the mid-90s. After a passerby noticed the dog locked inside with the windows closed, a Sacramento City animal control officer took pictures and temperature readings. The highest reading was 142 degrees. The officer took the dog to an emergency clinic to be checked out, and wrote the owners a ticket. "We went to a restaurant thinking we'd just come right back. And we had just gone camping where it was cool, like we were in the shade," said one of the "owners" of the dog. "I had just told [my husband], I said you know, we need to make sure we check on the dog. But with the 3 kids and the baby, you just don't think about it." She said they thought about taking the dog to the restaurant, but they didn't want to leave her outside where somebody could steal her. "So I think it can happen to anybody. I'm hoping she's okay because we love our dog." (cbs13.com)
07/21/07, Shreveport, LA
A woman left her beagle puppy locked in her car while she went to visit a friend in the ICU at the LSU Health Science Center. Outside temperatures reached 92 degrees. A bystander heard the dog crying out for help and 911. The fire department succeeded in rescuing the beagle, which police have nicknamed PoPo. The woman said she was gone for only 30 minutes but police said they had been on the call for 45 minutes. The woman was charged with animal abuse. (ksla.com)
07/19/07, Greensboro, NC
A man attending an auto auction decided to bring the cat he was "cat-sitting" for, leaving the animal in his minivan in the parking lot. The cat was bobcat or lynx. The cat was in the minivan with the windows vented, in 95-degree heat. A spokeswoman for local Animal Control said a man walking by the van was swiped at by the big cat. The man was not injured and it's unclear whether the man provoked the male cat, which is declawed, she said. The man called animal control officials, who confiscated the cat and brought it to the county's animal shelter. The cat was in good condition, she said. The owner of the van received a $50 citation for mistreatment of animals. His sister, the owner of the cat, may also be cited because it is illegal to have an exotic animal in the county. (News-Record.com)
07/17/07, Largo, FL
A woman left her 77-pound Golden Retriever locked in her car outside a grocery store. The car was parked in direct sunlight, with the engine turned off and the windows rolled all they way up. When the woman came back to her car, she was arrested on animal cruelty charges. Police say a thermometer placed inside the car after it was opened read 135 degrees. (MyFoxTampaBay.com)
07/15/07, Brownsville, TX
A man visiting the Gladys Porter Zoo left his dog locked inside the family van in the parking lot for at least two hours. The reported heat index at the time was 93 degrees, according to police. No food or water for the dog, a terrier mix, was found in the van. The man was arrested on one count of animal cruelty, a Class C misdemeanor with a maximum fine of $225. Animal Control officers confiscated the dog. (The Brownsville Herald)
07/15/07, Kamloops, BC, Canada
Seven's "owner" thought he was doing everything right, when he left the windows of his truck down about four inches and provided a large basin of water on the floor for Seven to drink from while he shopped at Wal-Mart. But the manager of the local SPCA, ironically in the parking lot to do a tv story on the dangers of heat and animals in vehicles, saw Seven in distress. Seven was removed from the vehicle — which had an internal temperature of 113 F. — and taken to a vet clinic, where he was successfully cooled off. The "owner" was not charged. (Kamloops This Week.com)
07/14/07, Lawrence, KS
A Missouri man was ticketed for animal cruelty after he left a dog unattended in his car. A local ordinance makes it illegal to leave an animal alone in a car for more than five minutes when the temperature is hotter than 80 degrees. (The temperature reached 90 degrees.) (Lawrence Journal-World & eNews)
07/10/07, Bluffton, SC
A 33-year-old Florida man was charged with leaving his dog in a locked vehicle while he ate lunch at a local restaurant. Someone noticed the dog in the SUV and called the sheriff's office. A deputy eventually tracked down the owner. The dog had been inside the Toyota Tundra for more than 40 minutes in 87 degree heat. The man told the deputy that "the dog is used to the heat" because he is from Florida. It is a misdemeanor in South Carolina to leave animals unattended in vehicles. (IslandPacket.com)
07/04/07, Missoula, MT
A dead dog was dumped in a Missoula-area Wal-Mart parking lot. It is believed the dog died in the car while its owners were shopping. Although the incident was caught on surveillance video, police were not able to get the license plate of the car. (missoulian.com)
07/02/07, Sacramento, CA
Queenie, a pit bull mix, died in the back of a car parked in a vacant lot. An animal control officer left a warning on the car on his first visit July 1. In two follow-up visits, officers determined that the animal was in no danger. What they didn't know was that Queenie's "owner" had been in jail since June 28, on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon following a knife fight. The car's windows were cracked and a shade cover sheltered the front window. The "owner" said he asked the sheriff's deputy who arrested him to allow him to free the dog to the care of an associate of his aunt, but the deputy ignored him. (A spokesman for the Sheriff's Department said deputies have "no record of him telling us that he had a dog in the car.") On the third visit the dog was dead. Animal control removed Queenie's body and left a note for the "owner," a note which he was unable to see. (sacbee.com)
07/01/07, Grand Junction, AZ
A dog "owner" who left an older, pointer mix breed in the back seat of a passenger car with windows slightly cracked open will face at least a $250 fine, said Mesa County Animal Services. Officers lowered a thermometer through the window to find inside temperatures of 123.4 degrees. It is illegal to subject animals to temperatures of more than 100 degrees in vehicles. The dog had been left with a bowl of water. A locksmith opened the car door and the dog was taken to the shelter. (GJSentinel.com)
07/00/07, Boulder, CO
In July 2007, 54 incidents of dogs left in hot cars (1 dog died) were reported to Boulder police, who began to issue tickets to vehicle owners for the offence. (9news.com)
06/30/07, Boulder, CO
A married couple who left their 2-year-old bulldog in their parked car while the temperature reach 92 degrees will be charged with animal cruelty over the dog's death. When they found their dog in distress, the couple removed her from the car and poured water and ice on her, but the bulldog died on the way to an emergency vet clinic. The dog's "owners" could face $1,000 fines and court-ordered probation. (Rocky Mountain News.com)
06/27/07, Warwick, RI
A 9-year-old Doberman died after it was left in a parked car for almost three hours. The Doberman's "owner" went to work and forgot that she brought her dog with her. When she went out to her car before noon, the dog was dead. The woman could face a misdemeanor charge of cruelty to animals. (turnto10.com)
06/27/07, Brantford, ON, Canada
A one-and-a-half-year-old dog named Jada died after being trapped in a hot car while her "owner" attended a charity casino. Jada had been left in a dark-colored car with tinted windows — two of the windows were down just about one inch. A casino security officer managed to get into the small gap in one of the windows and pulled it outwards to make it wider. He was then able to unlock the car door and remove the dog. However, the dog was already in very serious condition. She was convulsing, her body was hot to the touch and her skin was covered in broken blood vessels. She died minutes after being removed from the car. The Ontario SPCA charged the man with three counts of animal cruelty under the Criminal Code of Canada: failure to provide suitable and adequate care; wilfully causing unnecessary pain; and wilfully causing unnecessary suffering. (Canadian Federation of Humane Societies)
06/23/07, Niagara Falls, ON, Canada
A passerby found a 4-month-old cock-a-poo puppy lying on its side in a parked car at Marineland. The car registered a temperature of 140 F. The dog was rescued and is recovering. The dog's "owner" faces animal cruelty charges. (Niagara Falls Review)
06/19/07, Philadelphia, PA
Animal control officers rescued 26 dozen cats locked in the back of a pickup truck where the inside temperature was more than 100. The cats were taken to a local veterinarian for care. A homeless man who lived in the truck was arrested when he returned to the site after bicycling to a local store, and charged with animal cruelty. (6abc.com)
06/18/07, Lakewood, CA
Two cats were rescued from a sweltering car in a Wal-Mart parking lot after a passerby called the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority. The cats had been inside the car for at least two hours when officers reached through the 3-inchgap in the sun roof with snake tongs to unlock the car. (The driver's side window was opened about an inch.) The cats were locked inside a plastic animal carrier. The temperature in the car had reached 120 degrees it was opened to rescue the cats. The temperature outside was about 90 degrees. The cats — a black domestic shorthair and a long-haired Seal Point Himalayan, both female — were panting heavily, salivating profusely, and appeared lethargic. "Another 20 minutes and they probably would have gone into a coma," said an Authority officer. The cats were cooled down and taken to the agency's veterinary facility, where they have responded well to treatment. It took about an hour for the cats' body temperatures to cool down to normal. At press time the driver of the car, which had Maryland plates, had not yet returned. Under California's new law prohibiting leaving animals unattended in hot vehicles, the driver could be fined or jailed. If the cats aren't claimed within 14 days, they will be considered abandoned and available for adoption. (knbc.com)
06/18/07, Indianapolis, IN
Metropolitan police ticketed two people who left a dog unattended in the cab of a pickup truck. The vehicle was not running and the driver's side window was cracked about two inches. The 20-pound dog was barking and panting heavily in the truck while the temperature was about 87 degrees. The police officer opened the truck's door and was calling for animal control when the two young people showed up. They said they had left the dog for about five minutes while they filled out job applications, but the officer said he witnessed the dog in the vehicle for more than 15 minutes. The couple said the dog was not house trained and would make a mess if left alone in their home. The officer issued them a court summons for misdemeanor animal neglect. (indystar.com)
06/17/07, Federal Heights, CO
When they realized they couldn't bring their dog into Water World, the dog's caregivers left the dog in the car with the windows rolled down. Temperatures reached the upper 90s. Police officers rescued the dog and give it water. They said the dog appeared to be okay, although they estimated it had been inside the steaming car for more than one hour. The dog's caregivers were cited with a summons to appear in court for animal cruelty. (ABC 7 News)
06/09/07, Carson City, NV
A citizen's report brought sheriff's deputies to a parked car where a cat was crying inside. Windows were cracked about an inch but there was no wind and the car was parked in direct sunlight on the 85-degree day. The cat was using all its energy to breathe and looked in "immediate need of assistance," said a deputy. A window punch was unsuccessful, a deputy used his baton to break a window. The cat was placed in the air-conditioned patrol car along with some water. The car's inside temperature was estimated at more than 100 degrees. The 19-year-old male driver of the car said he didn't think he would be gone for too long but was cited on suspicion of animal cruelty. (Pet-Abuse.com)
06/08/07, Ottawa, ON, Canada
A Quebec man who works in Ottawa has been charged with animal cruelty after a dog was allegedly left in the back of a truck to die of heat exhaustion. The man told investigators that the eight-month-old Mastiff-type dog — which he described as a Dogo Argentina — had been defecating indoors and had to be removed. He admitted to placing the dog in the back of a capped pick-up truck, when the temperature was a relative 98 degrees F. When he returned to the truck two hours later, the dog was dead, so he disposed of the body in the dumpster. Results of an OHS post-mortem examination on the dog indicate the animal likely died of heat exhaustion — the result of being locked inside the truck for too long at extreme temperatures. The man was charged with two counts of animal cruelty under the Criminal Code of Canada, for failing to provide suitable and adequate care to an animal and for causing unnecessary pain, suffering and injury to the same animal. (Ottawa Humane Society)
06/07/07, Bellflower, CA
A Chihuahua locked in a car at an apartment complex was rescued by an animal control officer. Although it was 75 degrees outside around 2:00pm, a thermometer pushed through the window of the car indicated it was 118 degrees inside the vehicle. The dog was panting and trying to climb under a seat to escape the heat. The dog was rescued and taken to the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority's veterinary clinic. Authorities were looking for the owner of the car. (cbs2.com)
06/06/07, Cookeville, TN
Two police officers investigating a report of a dog left in a car parked at Wal-Mart used a temperature gauge to discern that the interior of the car was 106 degrees F. "The dog was panting very hard and the windows on the vehicle were only down approximately an inch," said an officer. They removed the dog and put it in air conditioned vehicle. After identifying the owner of the car, they had Wal-Mart page for her. When the woman finally arrived, the car had been parked for about an hour. By that time the interior temperature was 116 degrees. She was charged with animal cruelty. (Herald-Citizen)
06/01/07, Manchester, NH
An English bulldog named Fats died of heat stroke when his "owner" left him and a pit bull named Kane outside in a pen with an asphalt floor, without providing the pair with any water or shade. The woman admitted putting the dogs in the pen without cover or water at 8:15am when she left for work. She had no concerns about them being without shade because it was not hot when she left. But the outside temperature reached 90 and the bulldog died. Kane recovered and was impounded. Animal Control will ask the court to order that the dog not be returned to the woman or her boyfriend. The woman was charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty. (New Hampshire Union Leader)
06/00/07, Topeka, KS
When a sheriff's deputy left a drug-detecting dog in his hot car for several hours while he went inside his home and, distracted by his kids, forgot about the dog, it was a fatal mistake. The dog had been purchased just two months before, for $6,600, using confiscated drug money. The Attorney General is looking in to the matter. Because there is such a problem with methamphetamine in the county, commissioners want to get another drug dog. But, before they do that, they say they'll set up some rules for how the dog will be cared for. (49abcnews.com)
05/31/07, Yonkers, NY
Evie, an 8-year-old golden retriever, was left in her caregiver's car in 90-degree temperatures while he went into a store. Police were alerted by a passerby and found Evie panting inside the car. One window was open about an inch. Evie was removed, given water, and turned over to the Yonkers Animal Shelter. The car impounded. When Evie's caregiver returned, he claimed he'd been gone only 20 minutes. He was charged with animal cruelty. (The Journal News)
03/25/07, Lancaster, PA
Chunko and Abby, male and female Weimaraners, were rescued by police and representatives from the Organization for Responsible Care of Animals after a neighbor saw a couple leave the dogs in a black Volkswagen Beetle. The people, from Silver Spring, MD, were in town to have lunch with friends; they locked the dogs in the car and walked to a nearby college, leaving Chunko and Abby in the car for about three hours. When police opened the car, the male Weimaraner was lying listlessly on the sidewalk while the female was slumped halfway out the door. The dogs were rushed to emergency treatment, but the male was in critical condition. Although both dogs were recovering, Chunko had symptoms of blindness. Police cited the couple for negligence, which carries a maximum fine of $750. (Intelligencer Journal)
03/22-26/07, Sydney, Australia
A drug detection dog died from dehydration and heatstroke after he was left locked in a car at a Sydney prison car park (parking lot) for five days. Rookie, an 11-year-old border collie, was the acknowledged "top dog" of the New South Wales Corrective Services Department's 50-dog drug detection unit. But between March 22 and March 26, 2007, Rookie died from dehydration and heatstroke in circumstances that have created uproar in the department. Rookie was left locked in a department station wagon for five days in a car park at the rear of the John Moroney Correctional Centre near Windsor, in Sydney's west. RSPCA sources believe Rookie may not have survived the first day. Rookie's handler, who was on holiday in Adelaide at the time of his death, told colleagues of how the dog touched people's lives wherever he was based in the NSW jails system. Just how Rookie came to be forgotten in the car is still being determined. A local Corrective Services officer pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to exercise reasonable care and aggravated cruelty. The judge was expected to hand down a decision on December 18. (The Advertiser)
03/13/07, Phoenix, AZ
Top, a Phoenix K-9 police dog whose specialty was ferreting out drug stashes in hidden vehicle compartments, was rushed to a veterinarian after being left in an unmarked police vehicle without ventilation for an hour and 45 minutes. While it's standard procedure to leave K-9s in the car — police vehicles are typically left idling with air-conditioning and ventilation on, and marked cars have sensors that alert officers by siren or pager when the interior temperature gets too high — Top's unmarked Ford pickup, was not equipped with the sensor technology. Authorities said the car was idling at the time, but the air-conditioning may have malfunctioned. The handler and clinic employees decided to euthanize Top, a 5-year-old black Labrador, the following day. The police department is treating the incident as an accident. (The Arizona Republic)
01/11/07, Auckland, New Zealand
A teenager left Toby, a 4-year-old Spoodle (poodle-cross), in her car while she and a friend drank coffee at a cafe on an "extremely hot and humid" January afternoon (midsummer in New Zealand). After complaints from members of the public, an SPCA inspector broke into the girl's car and, according to the organisation's summary, "when the glass shattered, a heat wave that emanated from the interior of the vehicle was so hot that it caused the SPCA inspector's glasses to heat up." A judge ordered the 18-year-old to pay about $650 to the SPCA but discharged her without conviction, saying the consequences of a conviction outweighed her offending. The teenager says she has seen the "other side of the SPCA", which "treated me badly". When she and her friend went to the café she should have provided ventilation for the dog, rather than leave him in the car for more than an hour with the windows sealed. "I did actually think about going to get Toby out but he is quite excitable and I decided it was best if he stayed in the car." (The New Zealand Herald)
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