Marion County deputies received a 911 call from an employee at the Enchanted Forest RV Park, 8462 Enchanted Way SE, reporting that the dog was unattended in the vehicle in the parking lot, said Don Thomson, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office.
Senior Deputy Skip Lumley found the dog in a 2011 Subaru in a kennel with a blanket draped over it. The car windows were open about two inches.
Thomson said the temperature was 91 degrees, and there was virtually no air movement through the car. The deputy noted that the temperature inside car was significantly higher.
The dog was unresponsive and showed signs of dehydration and signs of suffering from heat, police said.
Police identified the dog owner as William E. Koskela, 49, of Athena. Thomson said he initially refused to grant Lumley access to the dog but eventually allowed him inside the vehicle.
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| William E. Koskela |
Police said kennel smelled of urine and there was no water available. The deputy gave the dog water and took the dog to the shelter.
Koskela was arrested and booked at the Marion County Jail on a charge of animal neglect. He has since posted bail and is due in court 9:30 a.m. Aug. 22.
(Statesman Journal - July 26, 2012)
