Washington: Kathy Isaksen refused to believe a security officer when he said panting dog in hot car was fine; she rescued the dog and the hospital retaliated by banning her from the property

WASHINGTON -- A Tacoma woman says she rescued a dog from a hot car and ended up getting a trespassing ticket for her effort.

It happened at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma.

Kathy Isaksen has dedicated her life to saving the lives of dogs. In her case, greyhounds abound at her home. And so when she found what she believed was a dog in distress, she took action.

Facebook post from Kathy Isaksen: EMERGENCY!!!!! Terrier in white Chevy Tahoe in St. Joseph's ER parking lot. Temperature outside 75 degrees, temperature inside most likely 85-90. Dog in distress, panting, was barking for last hour and heard on 4th floor. Cops called 3x but still no arrival. This is a video of a poor distressed dog left in a car Tuesday (7-26) afternoon. Thanks to the help of a Good Samaritan hero, my granddaughter and I were successful in helping this dog escape from his heat stroke doom. As a result of our compassion for animals and knowledge of deadly hyperthermia in dogs, I am now restricted by St Joseph Hospital security from visiting my sister who needs all of her family with her to speed her recovery. It's this kind of heartless robot mentality, displayed by this hospital's security, that's wrong with humanity.

"This poor little guy he's just panting," she could be heard saying on her home video. It was July 14 and 75 degrees in Tacoma at the emergency room parking lot at St Joseph.

She saw a terrier that she determined was in heat distress. On video, "Come on somebody get somebody here please. We've called 911 four times."

The police didn't [bother to] respond, but hospital security did.

"And they assured us the dog was fine," Isaksen said. "The dog was never fine being left in the car even for 10 minutes."

"They found the vehicle to have it's windows down about half way.. all four windows down," said Tim Ohaver, COO at St. Joseph. "The car was parked in some shade. The dog had access to food and water."

When security left, Isaksen said, a Good Samaritan reached in and unlocked the door. They got the dog out and found its owner.

"She was very thankful that we got the dog out of the car when it seemed like it was a bad situation because it was," said Isaksen's granddaughter Mailina Tuivaiave,

Instead of recognizing Kathy Isaksen as a hero, they
issued her a trespassing ticket and told her to
stay off the hospital's property.

But because of how Isaksen was handing the situation, the hospital said she was told not to come back for a year or it would be trespassing.

She said her sister is in the hospital.

"I can't go to the hospital now. This ticket prohibits me from visiting my sister."

Facebook post from Kathy Isaksen: Friends & Family Well Done!! I can't tell you all how greatful and humbled I am by the out pooring of support you have all given to me and my family during this fiasco. Christine Lenfant, you are a STAR and headline the many credits in this drama. It's because of all of you that St.Joseph Hospital/Fransiscan Care is revising their protocol for dogs in cars at risk of hyperthermia. And the best news I could receive I Can Now Visit My Sister!! Please everyboby take a bow!

The hospital now says cooler heads have prevailed. The trespass ticket has been thrown out. Isaksen is free to visit her sister.

Tacoma Animal Control says it's best to wait for its crews because it's risky to take matters into your own hands. "Put the call into us first so we are aware of it and en route," said Officer Eric O'Donnell. "Unfortunately this time of year we're getting so many of these types of calls."

And for dog owners? "My recommendation if it's going to be 75 and if you're going to be out of your vehicle for longer than 10 or 15 minutes, don't bring your dog with you," said O'Donnell.

(KOMO News - Jul 30, 2016)