Police: Dog Locked Inside Hot Vehicle in Mount Vernon

With temperatures soaring up to 100 degrees outside Thursday, Fairfax County Animal Control officers responded to a call of a dog locked inside a hot vehicle in the 8100 block of Fordson Road at 2:45 p.m.

The dog, an eight-year-old Shih Tzu, was transported to a veterinarian where he was treated, released, and transported to the animal shelter, said police spokesperson Lucy Caldwell. The dog’s owner, a 16-year-old male, was served with an "unfit owner" petition.

This is the third report of pets being left in hot cars this week, Caldwell said. One incident occurred in Fairfax, and the other occurred in Reston.

Animal Control responded to the Reston Town Center for a report of a dog inside of a hot vehicle at 2 p.m. on Tuesday. The dog was a six month old red Shiba Inu, red, 6 months old and had been barking from the cracked window. The owner, a 68-year-old Reston man, was cited with failure to provide adequate water and shelter for a companion animal.

Animal Control responded to a report of a dog in a car in the Costco parking lot on West Ox Road in Fairfax at 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday at 2:45 p.m. Officers observed an aged beagle in the vehicle. The owner, an 85-year-old McLean woman, was charged with animal cruelty and the beagle was transported to the Animal Shelter.

With temperatures on the rise this summer, it’s important for residents to know the consequences of leaving pets in hot cars. Caldwell offered these tips for residents:

• A pet does not perspire the way a human does. A dog’s tongue is his cooling system; which is why he pants. With only hot air to breathe, your dog will suffer permanent brain damage within minutes. If your pet is left in your car even longer, he will die an agonizing death.
• In Fairfax County, it is illegal to leave an animal in a vehicle during warm weather. The law allows any law enforcement officer to seize any animal that has been cruelly treated or is suffering from a condition that constitutes a direct and immediate threat to its life, safety or health.
• A person convicted of animal cruelty could face up to 5 years in prison and/or be fined up to $2,500.
• If you witness a pet left unattended in a parked car on a hot day:
• Record information about the vehicle and its exact location (make/model/color/license plate number).
• Call FCPD at 703-691-2131
• Stay at the location until officers arrive (if possible) to help them quickly locate the car.