By Jennifer Thomas
PHOENIX — A local animal shelter is reminding owners not to leave their pets in their hot cars after Phoenix police officers had to rescue a puppy over the weekend.
The officers took the 14-week-old puppy to the Arizona Animal Welfare League & Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (AAWL & SPCA) after finding it in a car with the windows rolled up in a central Phoenix parking lot, according to Shannon Blizzard, director of shelter operations.
When officers found the dog, he appeared to be in distress due to the heat. The officers unlocked the vehicle to rescue him.
Two people later got in the car and drove off, abandoning the dog, according to the shelter staff.
“We assessed him and he’s a healthy little dog, but we’re really lucky we got to him in time,” Blizzard said.
“It’s incredibly important that people know that even just for short periods of time and even if they’re cracking their windows, the car is a dangerous place for a dog in the summer,” she explained.
The dog, named Skip by the staff, will be available for adoption at the shelter at 30 N. 40th Place in Phoenix on Thursday.
For more information about adopting a dog from AAWL & SPCA, go to www.aawl.org or call 602-273-6852 , ext. 134.
Sadly, this kind of tragedy happens all the time. Every year, dogs die after being intentionally locked inside cars while their owners shop or run other errands.
When it is 72 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car can rocket to 116 degrees within an hour, even with windows cracked. When it is 85 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car can soar to 102 degrees in 10 minutes and 120 degrees in 30 minutes.
A dog’s normal body temperature ranges from 101 to 102.5 degrees. Dogs can withstand a body temperature of 107 to 108 degrees for only a short time before suffering organ failure, brain and nerve damage — or even death.
If you see an animal in distress inside a vehicle, call your local animal control agency, police department or humane society right away.
The My Dog is Cool Campaign operated by RedRover lets people know that leaving a dog in a car for even “just a few minutes” may be too long.
To order or download educational fliers and posters, or to enter your zip code and find out if it is too hot to bring your dog in the car, visit:
http://www.MyDogIsCool.com
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