Las Vegas police arrested a 25-year-old Las Vegas woman on 9th July for maliciously leaving her dog in a hot SUV parked in front of Goodwill store on a hot day.
Alexandra Evans had earlier on 27th June been arrested for leaving her small white dog in the same SUV at Wild West Casino in Las Vegas. The dog was taken by Clark County Animal Control staff but was later returned to the owner on6th July.
Temperatures in the SUV reached 113 degrees that day. When the police arrived, the dog was panting heavily and barking from distress and lack of water.
The police say that the SUV was turned off and the windows rolled up. The officer was forced to break the window to rescue the dog. Outside, the temperatures were at 111 degrees.
After being apprehended, Evans claimed that she was in the store for ten minutes and that her boyfriend has the SUV keys. She is held in Clark County Detention Center awaiting a court hearing on 26th July.
This incident reminds us of the dangers of leaving animals in a vehicle when temperatures are high. Jessica Simpson, a specialist with the Humane Society of United State argues that temperatures in a car can reach dangerous levels on a warm day.
“On an 85-degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperatures will reach 120 degrees, and the pet may suffer irreversible organ damage, seizures, or die.”
In the US, more than half of states have laws prohibiting leaving animals in hot vehicles. The laws provide criminal penalties and allow the first responder to take actions to rescue the animal, including damaging the vehicle.
This year alone, 22 dogs have died from heatwave causes. Next time you are on a quick errand, remember leaving a dog in a parked car can end up in tragedy, especially when there are unexpected delays or distractions.
