If you are living in a part of the country that isn’t hot right now, then you are in the minority.  We have seen ongoing triple-digit temperatures in Dallas and Memphis and Chicago and New York, just to name a few, and July looks like it will be one of the five hottest in the history of the United States. 

Everyone is being asked to take precautions to protect their health during this dangerous time.  There are regular reminders about leaving children in a hot car, even for a minute, as there are tragic instances of little kids dying every summer while strapped into the backseat of a closed vehicle.  Let’s also remember, though, that a broiling car is no place for your pets, either.

Last week in California, a six-month-old puppy was left in a hot car and later died at the veterinary hospital.  The windows in the car had been cracked about two inches and there was no water available for Pomeranian/Shih Tzy mix.  Authorities estimates that the puppy had been in the car at least an hour and a half to two and a half hours.

The dog’s owner, TiAndra Davis, has been arrested for felony animal cruelty.  She was taken into custody at the Sacramento County jail on $10,000 bond.

I cannot imagine leaving a precious animal alone in a car to suffer and essentially suffocate to death in such extreme conditions.  All of you who know me or at least read this blog regularly know of my love for dogs.  My heart breaks with this story and I hope it serves as a wake-up call for others who may have found no harm in leaving their pet to wait for just a few minutes in a hot car while they make a quick trip into the store.

I will be anxious to see whether or not the justice system produces a guilty verdict in this case and the type of punishment that gets handed down.