Boulder dog death may put heat on owners

Laura-Claire Corson, Daily Camera

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

BOULDER — The Humane Society of Boulder Valley plans to pursue criminal charges against the owners of a bulldog that died in a hot car last month — the first time in at least two years that animal-cruelty charges will have been brought over a pet's heat-induced death.

The 2-year-old dog's owners — an unidentified married couple who live outside of Boulder — are accused of leaving the pet in their car while it was parked at 30th and Spruce streets about 3 p.m. June 30, according to Boulder Animal Care and Control officials. The temperature that afternoon reached 92 degrees.

Upon their return, the dog's owners found their pet in distress, removed her from the car and poured water and ice on her. Humane society officials said they aren't sure whether the dog's owners left the car's windows open or cracked.

Once animal control officers arrived, the dog "appeared lifeless," said Janeè Teague, supervisor for Boulder Animal Care and Control.

The bulldog died on the way to an emergency vet clinic.

"Yes, the guardians were upset," said Lisa Pedersen, chief executive officer of the Boulder Valley Humane Society. "But we have a responsibility to the animals. We need to send a message that animals are taken care of. Leaving animals suffering is not good."

Officials said they plan to charge the couple — whom they won't yet identify — by the end of the week. The dog's owners could face $1,000 fines and court-ordered probation.

Though Pedersen said animal control officers received more than 60 calls in June from "citizens" who noticed animals left in cars, this will be the first animal cruelty ticket issued in Boulder in 2007 after an animal died due to heat. No such tickets were issued in 2006.

However, Teague noted animal cruelty tickets have been issued during that time to people who physically abused their pets.

In general, officials said, Boulder residents protect their pets from the heat — the primary reason why so few tickets are issued. Warnings are more common, said Pedersen, who emphasized the importance of leaving animals out of the car — and out of the heat — during the brutally hot summer months.

No matter the starting temperature, the heat inside cars can climb to 102 degrees in 10 minutes, and can rapidly rise to 160 degrees shortly thereafter, according to a new release circulated by the humane society.

There is no safe way to leave an animal in a stifling car and still guarantee its health and safety, humane society officials said. Even leaving windows cracked doesn't prevent harm, because there's still not enough air circulation for an animal to breathe.

Alora Gale, a 21-year-old University of Colorado student, recently purchased Lela, a border collie-Labrador mix that loves to be outside and run errands with her owner. Gale said she almost always opts to leave Lela at a friend's house to avoid heat both in the house and in the car.

"She's a black dog in a hot car; she'd probably die," Gale said. "Animals dying in cars is kind of horrific."