CPD issues warning concerning hot cars and animals after incident at Wal-Mart
As a result of an animal cruelty citation on Friday, the Calhoun Police Department is issuing a warning to residents concerning pets and hot cars.
At 11: 30 a. m. on July 15, officers with the CPD responded to a witness call concerning a dog in a car parked at WalMart off of Highway 53 in Calhoun. According to the witness, the dog was in the vehicle when she arrived at the store; the witness stated she was inside WalMart for approximately one hour and when she came back outside, the car was still parked in the same spot with the dog inside.
Officers arrived and observed the dog in the backseat of the vehicle; the windows were opened approximately one inch. According to the incident report, the car was not running and the temperature outside was hot. According to The Weather Channel, the high temperature on Friday was 90 degrees. Officers ran the tag on the vehicle and had dispatch notify WalMart to page the owner
of the vehicle. Officers then opened the door to the vehicle to get the dog out of the excessive heat.
After removing the dog from the car, Phi Chau Do, of Calhoun and the owner of the vehicle, arrived on the scene. When asked how long the dog was inside the car, he told officers “about 15 minutes.” Officers informed Do that they had been on the scene that long and that they knew the dog had been unattended for longer than that.
Officers reviewed video at Wal-Mart and it was determined that Do had been inside the store approximately an hour and a half. A citation for animal cruelty was issued to Do and he was allowed to leave the premises.
According to CPD, the dog was determined to be in good health and was returned to the owner.
“Calhoun Police are reminding animal own- ers of the dangers of pets being left inside hot vehicles,” said Chief Garry Moss in an official statement. “Many people still believe that it’s ok to leave a dog in a car on warm days if the windows are left open or the vehicle is parked in the shade, but the truth is, it’s still a very dangerous situation for the dog.”
According to the statement, animals can suffer brain damage or die from heatstroke in as little as 15 minutes. It is more difficult for dogs to cool down because they can only cool themselves by panting and sweating through their paw pads.
Chief Moss encourages anyone who encounters a pet left inside a vehicle on a hot day to call 911, where an officer will respond to assess the situation and take appropriate actions.
“We recently issued a news release warning of the dangers of leaving children inside hot vehicles and due to recent encounters by our officers, we are extending this cautionary advice to pet owners as well,” said Lt. Tony Pyle with the CPD.