Two people have been charged with animal cruelty after two pit bulls were left out in the sun resulting in the death of one.
NJ.com reports that the owner Juanita White, 48, and Davina Kearney, 30, were charged with failure to provide proper shelter, failure to provide proper water, procuring the death of the dogs and were released on their own recognizance.
Monmouth County SPCA says the dogs were left out in the sun with no water or shade.
“[The dogs] tried to save themselves by digging holes in the ground over a foot and a half deep to get out of the sun,” Monmouth County SPCA Chief Victor Amato told the paper.
One of the dogs jumped a chain link fence to reach shade in a neighbor’s yard and hung himself, according to Amato.
Don't forget, it's your job to keep your pets safe as the temperatures rise. Here's some helpful tips to help you:
• If your pet spends time outside or in the yard, make sure they have some shade to get out of the sun and make sure they have lots of fresh clear water shaded from the direct sun. Water bowls sitting in the sun can get very hot creating a scalding bowl of water.
• Never leave a pet in a car alone, even with the windows down a crack or the air conditioner running. Even on cooler days, a car can become a furnace very quickly.
• Consider getting an inexpensive plastic kiddie pool for your dog to cool down in post- outdoor exercise. Some dogs also like to play in sprinklers.
• If you have a swimming pool, do not leave your dog unattended in the pool area. Not all dogs can swim -- they can drown if they fall into the water. They can also get sick from drinking chlorinated pool water.
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