Yesterday on July 21st, Animal Control assisted deputies, responding to a troubling call involving 7 dogs left inside a van in direct sunlight while outside temperatures reached 97 degrees.
Dispatch received the call around 4:00 p.m.. When responders arrived, several Good Samaritans had already managed to remove 6 of the dogs from the vehicle. The final dog remained inside and was understandably aggressive due to it being frightened, overheated, and alone.
Animal Control safely removed the last remaining dog, and all seven dogs, including 4 young puppies, were transported to the Tacoma Humane Society, where the dogs received immediate health evaluations.
This incident could have ended much differently.
Even on a day that feels “warm,” the temperature inside a parked vehicle can rise to deadly levels within minutes. Cracking the windows is not enough. Pets and children are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness and death.