Florida deputies are warning pet owners about the immediate dangers of leaving their animals inside a vehicle after rescuing two dogs that were trapped in a hot car.
A Facebook video shared by the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) showed deputies responding to a call from a concerned owner who was unable to access their car and needed help to get their dogs out as the temperature began to quickly rise inside.
According to OCSO, the vehicle was equipped with an automatic shut-off feature that turns off the engine after 15 minutes. The owner thought the feature was disengaged; however, the system had activated and shut down the vehicle.
“Once the car shut off, the interior temperature rose rapidly — a dangerous scenario made even worse by Florida’s heat,” the video’s caption read.
When the owner realized they had no way to enter their vehicle, they immediately called for help.
“We’re responding to a call in reference to a vehicle that has been off now for probably half an hour,” an OCSO deputy said to the camera. “There’s a dog inside of it, so we’re going to respond to the address and see if we can get them out.”
When the deputies arrived, they realized how dire the situation was.
“That dog’s in that type of condition over there, lying down. Do you want to bust the window out?” the other deputy asked the owner.
“Do it,” the owner quickly replied.
The deputies are then seen using an emergency window breaker to smash the driver’s side passenger window to open the door and get to the dogs. They then pulled the animals out of the vehicle and immediately gave them water in an attempt to cool them off. Throughout the rescue, the dogs can be heard panting profusely.
After cooling them off to the best of their ability, the deputies brought bought dogs to their vehicle to cool them off further.
“You got somewhere to put her?” the deputy carrying the dog is heard saying. “She’s hotter than hell.”
According to OCSO, both dogs were saved and made a full recovery after they were brought to the Okeechobee Veterinary Hospital, where they received emergency treatment by Dr. G.W. Jarriel.
The sheriff’s office said in the video’s caption that its intention in sharing the video was “not to shock, but to educate and prevent future tragedies.”
“This incident is a direct example of how quickly conditions inside a vehicle can become life-threatening for pets,” OCSO said.
