Cops Called After Dog Left in Car

Portsmouth police handled two dog-related calls within about an hour Saturday afternoon—one involving a dog reportedly left in a hot vehicle and another involving two dogs believed to be injured in the roadway. The first call came from the Scioto Ribber, where someone spotted a dog inside a gray SUV parked between the restaurant and the Carousel Center and worried the animal might be in danger from the heat. By the time an officer arrived, the owner was back in the vehicle. The man told police he had left the SUV running and locked while he ate outside on the east side of the restaurant, where he could keep an eye on the vehicle. The officer found no reason to take enforcement action. When Is It Safe to Leave a Dog in the Car? A parked vehicle can heat up dangerously fast, even when the outside temperature doesn’t seem extreme. Cracking the windows does little to prevent that heat buildup. A dog is generally much safer if the vehicle is running with the air conditioning operating properly, the doors are secure, and the owner is close enough to keep checking on the animal. Even then, there are risks. Engines can shut off. Air conditioning can fail. A vehicle can be stolen or accidentally shifted. And someone passing by has no way of knowing whether the dog has been sitting comfortably for two minutes or struggling for twenty. If you do leave a dog briefly in a running vehicle, the safest approach is to keep the stop short, stay nearby, and check the animal frequently. If there is any doubt that the air conditioning will remain on, bring the dog with you or leave it at home. And if you see a dog in a parked vehicle that appears distressed—heavy panting, drooling, weakness, vomiting, confusion, collapse, or unresponsiveness—call police or animal control rather than assuming the owner will be right back. Second Call: Two “Injured” Dogs in the Road About an hour later, police received another dog call—this time on Charles Street. A caller reported two injured dogs in the roadway, one black and the other white and gray. Police contacted Animal Control, and someone was sent to check on them. The situation turned out to be less serious than first feared. Animal Control later reported that one of the dogs simply appeared to have a limp. Both dogs were picked up. Fortunately, both were also wearing collars with phone numbers, giving Animal Control a way to contact their owners and get them home. Two calls, two potentially scary situations—and this time, both had much better endings than callers initially feared.

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