Animal Control officers responded to a citizen’s call on May 27 in Chantilly regarding an English Bulldog that was in distress. The dog, estimated to be about 2 years old, was unresponsive. The dog was immediately rushed to a local animal hospital for treatment and was pronounced by the veterinarian to be dead upon arrival. The dog had no shelter and its water bowl was empty.

High temperatures can cause heat stroke and even death among pets left outside or in cars exposed to the heat. The Fairfax County Animal Services Division recommends a climate controlled area for dogs to keep them out of extreme temperatures which can be dangerous during hot summer months.

Virginia Code §3.2-6503 outlines minimum standards of animal care required of pet owners, which includes adequate water and shelter. On a hot day, leaving a pet outside without access to shade can be deadly. Even if water is left for an animal outdoors, an insufficient amount or lack of access to that water—which could be caused by a pet drinking all the water, knocking it over or not being able to reach it—may result in similar deadly consequences.

“Pets without adequate shelter or water cannot protect themselves from the elements,” says Michael Lucas, Animal Control director. “Similarly, pets left in a car have no way to escape the heat. Even with the window cracked open, temperatures can soar leaving pets vulnerable and in a life-threatening situation.”

People who deprive their pet of necessary shelter and water and those who leave a pet in a car on a hot day could be prosecuted for a class 1 misdemeanor for animal cruelty under the Code of Virginia §3.2-6570.

Animal Care Tips During Hot Summer Months:
• Keep your pet indoors in a climate-controlled area, especially when you are not at home.
• Make sure that pets have access to shelter and/or shade (whether indoors and outdoors).
• Provide plenty of fresh water of a “drinkable temperature.”
• Never leave pets alone in a car without air conditioning. Even cars parked in the shade or in parking garages can reach soaring and potentially fatal temperatures for pets.