It was the 4th of July holiday weekend a couple years ago, a Bronx man, his girlfriend, their daughter and their dog all rode to the state park for a little swimming, barbecue, and to enjoy the warm weather. They left their Shih Tzu dog in his van and went to cool off in the pool for “a half hour to forty five minutes.” When they returned to their van, their world changed. The NYS Park Police along with SPCA Law Enforcement were waiting for him. The outside temperature had risen to 95 degrees and the temperature in the van had risen to 133 degrees. The dog had expired as a result of Hyperthermia. The necropsy, (animal equivalent of an autopsy) showed an internal body temperature of the deceased dog of over 104 degrees several hours later. The owner was arrested for animal cruelty and faced up to one year in jail, $1,000 fine or a combination of both. The owner stated to SPCA Law Enforcement that “there should have been a public service campaign about leaving animals in cars.”
The sad truth is that this is a true story.
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Some important facts
Pets left in vehicles face the possibility of death, even when left for short periods of time.
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The interior of a car can heat up and rise 30, 40 or more degrees higher than the outside temperature, even with the windows cracked open.
It only takes a few minutes for a dog to suffer heat stroke or irreversible damage.
Leaving water in the car may seem like a solution to keep your pet cool, but bowls can tip over, and unforeseen things can and do happen. When in heat stroke an animal may not even seek water.
Animals can suffer brain damage, dehydration, kidney failure, shock and death from heat stroke in just 15 minutes.
A recent press release from the ASPCA in New York City stated that Pet thefts are on the rise, and that pets are often are stolen from idling or parked vehicles.
What to do if you see an animal left in a vehicle.
In Putnam County, call the SPCA at 845–520–6915 to report the situation.
Do not “lecture” or “scold” the pet owner if they return. Doing so may provoke them into fighting with you.
If the animal seems in distress, attempt to locate the animal’s owner by having the make and model of the vehicle announced in some public manner if near a store, etc.
It’s against the law to leave an animal in a vehiclei n extreme weather.
Make the call, you can remain anonymous, but make the call.
