(SitNews) Anchorage, Alaska - When Anchorage Police were called to a report of an animal left in a vehicle parked in the area of 5th Avenue and A Street, they found an 8 month old Labrador locked inside of a Subaru; all of the vehicle’s windows were rolled up and were extremely foggy. The outside temperature was 61 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday, May 30th in Anchorage.

Anchorage Animal Control Officers also responded and determined the temperature inside the vehicle to be approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Officers were preparing to make entry into the vehicle when the registered owner arrived and unlocked the car. Inside, the vehicle, the young dog was lying on the floor with a puddle of saliva under him. When the young Lab was pulled from out of the vehicle, he collapsed on the sidewalk. Attempts were made to cool the dog by giving him water and fanning him in the shade, but he was ultimately brought to Pet Emergency for treatment. The dog was later released to the Anchorage Animal Care and Control Shelter where he was reunited with his owner, the boyfriend to the woman who had left the dog in her car.

The woman, whose name was not released, told police that she had brought the dog with her for an appointment she had at a local day spa. She said she had left the dog in the vehicle for about two hours with all of the windows rolled up to prevent a break-in. The woman was cited for Animal Neglect.

According to Anchorage Animal Care and Control, they received nine calls for animals that had been left inside hot vehicles from May 29 through May 31. Three of those calls, including the call referenced in this release, resulted in APD charging owners under Title 8.55. Animals from those cases were taken to Anchorage Animal Care and Control for protective custody. When Animal Control Officers arrived at the locations in the other cases, the vehicles were gone. Animal Control Officers are following up to find owners or caretakers to educate them about the dangers of leaving dogs inside cars in warm weather.

Temperatures can rapidly increase inside the cab of a vehicle without proper ventilation and can result in death. Studies show that it only takes ten minutes for the inside of a vehicle to reach 100 degrees when outside temperatures are 75 degrees.

With the warm summer weather upon us, all Alaskans are reminded to NEVER leave animals (or children) locked inside vehicles, even for a short time.

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Anchorage Police Department
http://www.muni.org

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