Four legged friends (and enemies): heat exhaustion

Showing posts with label heat exhaustion. Show all posts

Saturday, May 5, 2018

North Carolina: Amanda Davis charged with Animal Cruelty after leaving her pet squirrel to cook inside hot car

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA -- A woman was arrested after leaving her pet squirrel in a hot car that reached temperatures over 100°F, according to Charlotte Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control.

The owner of the "Sugar Glider" flying squirrel, Amanda Davis, has been charged with ill treatment of animals.

Around 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1, Animal Care and Control responded to a call regarding an animal locked inside of a car at 302 Aiken Avenue. The Animal Care and Control officer was alerted to the animal being in the car around 1:15 p.m., and says that his office may have been notified as early as 12:00 p.m. that same day.

Police said Davis' roommate became concerned and called police after she saw Davis put the animal in her blue Honda Accord before leaving the house.

When officers arrived they found the a window cracked slightly and a cage covered in blankets in the backseat.

The temperature inside the car was 114°F at the time, according to Animal Care and Control. No food or water were left with the animal.

Authorities removed the squirrel from the car just after 3:00 p.m. Davis arrived on scene about five minutes after the animal was taken out of the car. She told officers she had put it in the car around 1:00 p.m. and left.

She was arrested and charged, and Animal Care and Control took custody of the animal, telling Davis she could pick it up at a later date.

What?! She shouldn't get this poor squirrel back!

(Fox5 - May 3, 2018)

Saturday, April 7, 2018

New Mexico: Sara Mauter, 31, named in investigation of dogs left to die horrible deaths inside hot vehicle

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO -- Police say she left dogs for dead and trapped inside an SUV for hours Wednesday. Now, authorities have identified the woman caught on video walking away from that vehicle.

It started with a disturbing discovery near Rehm’s Nursery in northeast Albuquerque, when an employee and a customer noticed a black SUV had been parked near the shop all day.

Inside, were a handful of dead dogs.

The mysterious woman caught on camera leaving that vehicle behind has now been identified by Albuquerque Police Department officials as 31-year-old Sara Mauter, and a warrant has been issued for her arrest.

It was originally reported six dogs were found dead inside the SUV Mauter allegedly abandoned, but according to the warrant, there were five. It also shows Mauter faces five counts of extreme cruelty to animals.

It's not clear why she dumped the dogs or the SUV. The dogs' owner, Annette Rosenow, told KOB she hired Mauter – along with her husband, Shaun – to help transport about a dozen dogs to Texas.

Aside from the dogs left in the SUV, Rosenow says Shaun was driving a gray Dodge van with six other dogs inside.

KOB can confirm five of those dogs were turned over to an animal hospital in northwest Albuquerque, with one still unaccounted for.

DOG BREEDER IN TROUBLE WITH AUTHORITIES AS WELL
Rosenow, a dog breeder, is facing 60 charges in regards to her dogs in Torrance County. KOB video says she was ordered by a judge not to leave the state. It appears what she was possibly doing was hiding her dogs from authorities and planning on claiming to them that she had sold them - when they were being transported to Texas.

For APD, the focus remains on finding Mauter. Police say she and her husband may still be in the area driving a 2018 gray Dodge van with the temporary tag 18T0914.

If you know where Mauter might be, you're asked to call Crimestoppers at (505)843-STOP.

* * * * * *

RIPOFF REPORT FILED AGAINST BREEDER ANNETTE ROSENOW

(KOB - April 6, 2018)

Earlier:

Friday, April 6, 2018

New Mexico: Five dogs connected to group of dead canines safe and in custody

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO -- Six dead dogs were discovered inside an abandoned SUV Thursday, and now five other dogs connected to them are in the care of Albuquerque Animal Services.

Those five dogs – who reported missing Thursday afternoon – were dropped off alive at an animal hospital in northwest Albuquerque. Animal services say they are being placed in protective custody while they investigate.

The developments come after a breeder Annette Rosenow hired two people to transport 12 dogs to Texas while she faces more than 60 animal violations in Torrance County.

Police on Friday identified and issued a warrant for the woman (Sara Mauter) who they say left six dogs to die in this black SUV parked near a nursery in northeast Albuquerque.

DOG'S OWNER ALSO IN TROUBLE WITH AUTHORITIES

Those six dogs were part of a larger group. Annette Rosenow, a breeder, said she hired two people on Craigslist to help move 12 dogs from estancia to Texas. On Friday Rosenow said one dog is still missing from that group.

“This is a tragedy; these dogs were not even two years old I had them since puppies,” Rosenow said. “I raised them. They were my babies. This is too much."

Rosenow said she kept more than 30 dogs at a home in Torrance County. KOB has reported that during that time she was slapped with more than 60 animal welfare violations. Those charges stem from failing to license her animals and obtain rabies vaccinations.

“They told me that they we're going to drop the charges,” Rosenow said.

According to documents, Rosenow said she was not allowed to leave the state without court permission. She claims she was granted permission, though KOB couldn't find any evidence of that.

She says her priority now is to get those five dogs back.

"I’m a good dog owner,” she said. “I just made the wrong judgement about these people."

Torrance County Animal Services said those charges against Rosenow have not been dismissed. She is scheduled to be in court April 18

(KOB - April 6, 2018)

Earlier:

New Mexico: Six dead dogs found in abandoned vehicle; woman seen on video leaving them to die

New Mexico: Six dead dogs found in abandoned vehicle; woman seen on video leaving them to die

Update: The woman in the video has been identified as Sara Mauter.

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO -- Police are doing their best to connect the dots in a mysterious case of six dogs left for dead in an SUV Wednesday morning.

A business near San Mateo and Lomas caught a female suspect on video leaving that SUV behind. Six dogs were alive at 9:30 a.m. when the video was captured. By 4 p.m. when police arrived, it was a different, disturbing story.

"If we had known, you know those windows would have been taken out. We're all dog lovers here,” said Brian McKinsey, an employee at Rehm’s Nursery.

McKinsey said a customer spotted a black SUV parked in the morning and alerted the nursery when it was still there about six hours later when he returned. That customer said something just didn’t feel right. When McKinsey got a closer look, something was indeed very wrong.

"When I looked through the windows I didn't see anything because there were so fogged up, so moisturized," he said.

McKinsey took a closer look and discovered dogs inside the vehicle were dead.

"They were very contorted and livid. Those dogs didn't die well. It was bad," he said. "They were doing anything they could to get out of there from the way they were postured and looking. They didn't just lay down and die."

KOB got a hold of the dogs' owner, Annette Rosenow from Estancia. She said she hired a woman named Sara and a man named Shaun to transport some of her dogs in two vehicles to her new home in Texas.

"I was evicted from my place and I had to be out there by April 2, Monday. So it was in Estancia, New Mexico and I hired several people for the move," Rosenow said.

Note: Breeder Annette Rosenow was in trouble herself with authorities regarding the dogs and has had charges filed against her.

Rosenow gave police a statement for their report. Police say that second vehicle, a gray Dodge van, is still missing as well as five more dogs.

Both people Rosenow said she hired for the move are nowhere to be found. Police want to know if that includes this woman who is facing several counts of animal cruelty.

KOB did get a hold of Shaun earlier over the phone, the man Rosenow said she hired for the transport. He said he and his wife were hired for the job, but says she loves dogs and would never leave them in a hot car.

Shaun claims the dogs in the van were dropped off at a west side shelter. We put a call into local animal welfare to check that out. KOB looked into Rosenow as well. She's facing 60 counts of animal welfare violations in Torrance County.

Again, police are still trying to identify the suspect in that video, so call Crime Stoppers at (505) 842-STOP if you can help.

(KOB - April 5, 2018)

Friday, March 30, 2018

Rhode Island: Cat dies while being groomed at Petco in Providence

RHODE ISLAND -- A cat died while being groomed at Petco's University Heights location in Providence, Eyewitness News has learned.

A Facebook post by a relative of the pet's owner said the office cat, named Cloudy, suffered from potential hypothermia (or hyperthermia aka heat exhaustion) and died hours later after going into cardiac arrest at a local veterinary hospital.

Petco, University Heights

The post said Petco told the owner around 11:15 a.m. on Feb. 26 that Cloudy and another cat were being dried. By 1:30 p.m. Cloudy was being rushed to the vet, according to the post.

"I was horrified," said Maureen Sullivan, who saw the Facebook post and was one of dozens who shared it. "Not only was it horrific for you to take your beloved animal in for grooming and have that happen, I just can't even comprehend how that could happen and how a cat could almost freeze to death during a grooming."

In a statement to Eyewitness News last week, a Petco representative said, "All of us at Petco are deeply saddened by Cloudy's passing."

"The health and safety of pets is always our top priority and we take this situation very seriously," Petco's statement continued. "We take full responsibility for all animals in our care, and we're conducting a thorough investigation to understand everything we can about Cloudy's time with us. Our thoughts are with Cloudy's family during this very difficult time."

Rhode Island State Veterinarian Scott Marshall said he's skeptical the cat could have died from hypothermia, or low body temperature, in a facility where the temperature is comfortable for customers and workers. Although he said he does not know the specifics of the incident, he believes it's more likely the cat overheated while being dried.

"If the condition was hyperthermia, that could be more easily explained," Marshall said in an email. "Overheating in a grooming facility has been reported as a cause of death for animals. Typically, this happens when a dryer is attached to the cage the animal is kept in."

Marshall said cats and dogs don't sweat the way humans do, and can succumb in a matter of minutes if the temperature is hot enough.

"Normally cats have a temperature around 101 (100-102), anything above 103 is high and anything over 105 can be life threatening," he said. "This can happen from application of a hair dryer."

Eyewitness News reached out to Petco on Friday for an update on the investigation into the animal's death, but did not immediately hear back.

Officials at the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA) said they were alerted of Cloudy's death and conducted their own investigation, but found no criminal wrongdoing. RISPCA said the cat's owners did not want to have a necropsy performed.

Cloudy is the third Rhode Island animal to die while being groomed in the past year, according to RISPCA. Last March, a 5-year-old Pug named Ollie died while being groomed at the Petco in Middletown. Another dog died last year at a groomer in Warren after it hanged itself while tethered to a grooming table, according to RISPCA.

Currently, local grooming facilities do not need to be licensed by the state, but a bill introduced by House Majority Leader Joe Shekarchi seeks to change that.

The proposal would require groomers and grooming facilities to pay an annual fee of $25 to register with the state. The bill would also require them to obtain certification based on standards approved by the Rhode Island Professional Pet Groomers' Association. Shekarchi, a Warwick Democrat, introduced a similar bill in 2013 and 2017, but it was held for further study.

"There were a lot of people who thought I was trying to add a new licensing requirement or regulation on small businesses and that was not the intent," said Shekarchi, who told Eyewitness News the bill has been completely re-written this session. He said the goal is to have groomers go through some sort of training, whether it be online, an apprenticeship or a formal course. He said he knows the vast majority of groomers are competent and caring people, but he feels there needs to be a formal standard.

"Anybody can hold themselves out there as a groomer," said Joe Warzycha, director of operations at the RISPCA. "I can say tomorrow I'm a groomer and operate out of my basement."

Warzycha, a former animal cruelty officer, is in favor of training and licensing for individual groomers.

"The issues we're having are not necessary about the facility," he said. "It's more about the level of care that is or is not being provided to the animals while they're there."

Petco said its workers "follow very clear policies and procedures in our grooming salons to ensure accountability, safety and satisfaction for our grooming partners, pet parents and the pets in our care, and we take pride in having the highest standards of animal care and safety in the industry."

Petco said it grooms millions of pets each year, and "the total number of these incidents make up less than a fraction of a fraction of a percent - but even that is unacceptable to us." The company said it works with outside experts to implement best practices.

"Accidents happen," Warzycha said. "And as unfortunate as they are - and I certainly don't mean to downplay the significance of any of these issues - there are a lot of reputable groomers out there. Like anything else, do your research. And I think that part is where licensing could possibly be a benefit."