Wisconsin Rapids Police Department Nets PETA Award for Saving Dog From Hot Car

Officer Frees Little Dog From 119-Degree Vehicle

For Immediate Release:
July 9, 2015

Contact:
Lakisha Ridley 202-483-7382

Courtesy of PETA, a Compassionate Police Department Award is on its way to the Wisconsin Rapids Police Department after an officer rushed to a store parking lot on Sunday in response to a report that a dog had been left inside a parked car in the sweltering heat for at least 30 minutes. As outdoor temperatures climbed to 82 degrees—and the heat inside the car reached an estimated 114 to 119 degrees—Officer Cody Wetterau unlocked the vehicle, rescued the little dog, and placed him in an air-conditioned patrol car to recover until his guardians could be located. Wood County’s humane officer will reportedly investigate the incident for possible cruelty charges.

“Thanks to the quick actions of the Wisconsin Rapids Police Department, this little dog was spared an agonizing death,” says PETA Senior Director Colleen O’Brien. “Every summer, many more die horrific, preventable deaths in hot cars, and that’s why PETA calls on bystanders to act quickly when a dog is left inside a car during hot months—even if the windows are cracked.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—joins the Wisconsin Rapids Police Department in reminding all dog guardians never to leave any animal inside a parked car. On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. “Please, leave your pets at home or somewhere safe when you go shopping,” Lt. Brian Krzykowski said after Sunday’s incident. “A little dog could have died today for no reason.”

The Wisconsin Rapids Police Department will receive a framed certificate and a box of delicious vegan cookies. For more information, please visit PETA.org.