Don’t forget pets in the deadly summer heat
JANESVILLE — Animal advocates are warning pet owners to keep their pets out of the heat this summer, after a tragic incident in Beloit last week killed a dog.
Anisha Butalla, 24 of Wausau, was arrested Wednesday after police found her 2-year-old pit bull locked in her car. Police broke windows to try to save the dog, which had been in the car for four hours, but it died at the scene. Butalla left the dog inside her car while attending a court hearing, according to police.
Janesville veterinarian William Hicks said because dogs sweat only through their footpads and tongue, the heat in a car can quickly cause heatstroke. The size of the dog doesn’t matter, but color does: The darker the dog’s fur, the more heat it absorbs.
Hicks encouraged owners to leave pets at home if traveling for extended periods of time. If the animal has to go along, it should not be left in the car more than 20 minutes and should be given plenty of water and ventilation.
“Windows have to be cracked—even at 70 degrees—and that means all the windows cracked,” Hicks said.
But that doesn’t include sunroofs, which usually allow more sunlight to heat up the car.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals also decried the treatment, warning pet owners in a statement to keep a close eye on any pets left in the sun for even brief periods of time.
Janesville Deputy Police Chief John Olsen said police usually contact the owner of a pet first if the situation is not serious. If the dog is in distress, they’ll try to enter the vehicle, only breaking windows if the dog isn’t responding. While Olsen said they get a few reports of dogs left in cars every year, he doesn’t remember any cases as bad as the one in Beloit.
Owners should understand the legal consequences of leaving pets in cars. If the dog becomes distressed, law enforcement can charge the owner with mistreatment of an animal, which is punishable by a fine. However, if the dog dies or is disfigured as a result, the owner could be charged with a felony.
Jul 14, 2010 at 2:53 p.m.
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I too would break any window to rescue a human or animal. If I were to get sued, so what. My testimony would be that I saved the life of the pet or child of the sorry a** petitioner. Who do you think would win that case?
Jul 14, 2010 at 2:16 p.m.
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I'm willing to take the consequences of breaking a window if a life will be spared.
Jul 13, 2010 at 4 p.m.
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I see this all the time. I also have seen kids stuck in a car waiting for lazy arse parents, who are too lazy to get the child out and take with them, while they shop or talk in the gas station. Hubby and I, last two times at DeJope, each time we walked by cars with children in them waiting for their so called parents to finish gambling!! I turned both in, gave plate numbers and where car was to guards and these people were paged. The last time, the woman had to be paged over 10 times to come to security. There was an approx. 10 year old boy and 5 year old girl waiting in the car. Now that my friends, is a bad habit, if you have to take your children with to gamble and leave them in the car.
Jul 13, 2010 at 3:32 p.m.
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I was in the pic'n save parking lot approximately 3 weeks ago, waiting for someone getting a haircut and across from me was a silver taurus station wagon with windows all up and a brindle pit bull inside, I was on the phone with the police when the owner, heavy set female with long brown hair came to the car, so the police call ended but I just felt like screaming at this idiot, was hotter than hell and this idiot did all her shopping with that poor dog in car windows up!
Jul 13, 2010 at 3:13 p.m.
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spikesmom, if you look into my car, that dog in the back seat has been dead for a week. So, kindly leave my windows alone.
Jul 13, 2010 at 11:19 a.m.
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I would have absolutely no problem breaking a car window to save an animal in distress. However, what would my liability be? I don't want to be charged with destroying property or handed a bill from the car owner to replace a window. I guess I would take that risk, though.
Jul 13, 2010 at 5:01 a.m.
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I hear ya, Irish_Mafia78.
Jul 13, 2010 at 3:09 a.m.
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If I see pets or people in a car in the sun and they look like they need help, I'll break a window if I have to. Windows can be replaced. People and pets cannot. Nobody or anything should have to die because of someone being so stupid.
People who think "just a few minutes" is ok should be put into a hot car for that long so they can see what it feels like.
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