When you leave a dog locked in the car on even a warm day, you could be putting their life at risk. With the doors closed, a car parked in 80-degree weather can heat up to 110 degrees in just over 20 minutes.
Now you can imagine how terrible it would be for a dog to be trapped inside a car for hours in over 100-degree heat. That’s how a Husky puppy was found in Las Vegas on July 20th, 2022, and it’s a miracle he survived the mistreatment.
Deliberate Cruelty
Sadly, dogs often get left behind in cars while their owners are out. Some people might not realize how dangerous it is to put a dog in this situation for even a short time.
Others, like the man arrested by the Las Vegas Police Department for locking his Husky in the car while he was inside the casino gambling, are clearly mistreating the animal.
“WHAT NOT TO DO IN VEGAS,” the LVMPD tweeted alongside body camera footage of the latter part of the incident.
Apparently, not only did the owner of this vehicle leave his dog to suffer in extremely high temperatures, he taped the dog’s mouth shut. He deliberately made worse an already terrible situation.
“Security spotted a puppy inside a locked vehicle on the top floor of the parking garage with its mouth taped shut around 3 pm,” the police tweeted.
Anyone who’s ever been to Las Vegas in the summer knows just how hot it can get. According to police, the temperature on that day was 113 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Through our investigation, we discovered the dog had been in the car for nearly 2 hours without air conditioning, food, or water while the vehicle’s owner went inside to gamble.”
Fortunately, the casino’s security intervened before it was too late. They managed to get the dog out of the car through the sunroof, then contacted police.
A Survivor And An Arrest
The body cam footage posted online is from the moment the officer arrived on the scene. He asks the security staff where the dog is, and they show the poor panting Husky, who is now lying inside the car again (with the doors wide open).
One casino staff member mentions the dog was barely breathing and drooling heavily when they got to him. Thick saliva and heavy panting are signs of heat stroke.
Panting is a way for dogs to cool themselves down, but this pup had his mouth taped shut. Fortunately, you can see in the video his saviors have been giving him the water he desperately needs.
RELATED: Will Your State Protect You If You Save A Dog From A Hot Car?
It’s honestly remarkable that the dog came away from this incident alive. Just as incredible is how little his owner seemed to care. When the man returned to his car, he was arrested and handcuffed on the spot. In the video, you can hear the arresting offer say:
“You’re going to jail on a felony willful endangerment of an animal. Do you realize how hot it is outside? You had the vehicle off, windows up, and you had tape around your dog’s mouth.”
Police later identified the man as 50-year-old Raul Carbajal from Corona Del Mar in Southern California. For updates on the charges, check the police department’s Facebook page.
The full body cam video is below:
WHAT NOT TO DO IN VEGAS:
On July 20, we got a call from security from a hotel & casino at 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd. (The high temperature that day was 113)
Security spotted a puppy inside a locked vehicle on the top floor of the parking garage with its mouth taped shut around 3 pm pic.twitter.com/kmZJ9CcQyU— LVMPD (@LVMPD) July 28, 2022
Heat Stroke In Dogs
Because dogs can’t regulate their body temperature as easily as humans can, they’re more vulnerable to heatstroke. Dogs suffering from heatstroke can lose consciousness and even experience organ failure.
Heat stroke might start to set in when a dog’s temperature reaches 105 degrees. On a hot day in July, that could take a manner of minutes for a dog in a closed car.
The Husky puppy is okay, thanks to the quick actions of security and the police. He’ll need help with recovery for a little while, though.
On July 28th, the police posted an update about the dog, saying:
“We just got an update and the 3-month-old Husky puppy is still with animal control and receiving medical treatment for this July 20th incident.”
Still, there could have been a much worse outcome to this story. DON’T LEAVE YOUR DOG BEHIND IN THE CAR.
Featured Image: Twitter
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