Summer heat poses a risk not only to humans, but also pets. Lieutenant Jai Hamilton is the cruelty investigator for Lexington-Fayette Animal Care and Control. She said last weekend was busy at her department.
“We had over a dozen calls for welfare issues for animals. A lot of those calls were for heat related issues. So we had calls about dogs being left in cars, dogs being left in garages, outside without proper provisions.”
Hamilton said they always check out the reports, and in the past week-and-a-half, heat was a factor in the deaths of three dogs. One of those had been left in a garage, and Hamilton said the owner will be charged with second-degree animal cruelty. Charges will not be filed in the other cases, she said.
“The second case, we had a dog with the proper setup, but it was too hot for that dog. In the third case, the owner was actually walking their dog down the sidewalk, and the dog fell over in heat stroke. Now, that owner probably missed the signs of heat distress.”
Hamilton pointed out that unlike humans, dogs and cats can’t sweat and have fur coats. She said some days are so hot that shade and plenty of water aren’t enough to keep pets safe outdoors, and their owners should bring them inside.
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