Dogs Dying in Crates and Cars
Two recent news stories underscore the importance of making sure that dogs are kept indoors when temperatures soar.
In South Carolina, a man named Charles Bell has been charged with cruelty after Animal Control officers reportedly discovered that a dog had died in a small wire crate in the man’s backyard while temperatures soared as high as 114 degrees. The dog had apparently been trapped in the crate in direct sunlight for three days with no food or water. According to news reports, authorities were alerted by a man who had approached the house to ask that the dog be moved into the shade only to have a woman slam the door in his face. Crating a dog is always a terrible idea, but in this case it was a formula for tragedy.
Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, thanks to one dog’s ingenuity, disaster was narrowly averted. When a dog named Max was inadvertently left in a hot car, he began to honk the car’s horn. After being doused in water and then rushed to a vet, Max made a full recovery from his heat exhaustion—but most dogs aren’t as lucky.
Even in the shade, temperatures inside a car in warm weather can soar to lethal levels. To cool themselves, dogs must pant, and they can only perspire through their paw pads. Please protect your dog, and if you see other dogs in distress, always take action—you could save a life!
Written by Jeff Mackey
