A dog police said was left inside a locked car for at least four hours on Memorial Day is recovering at the Ashland County Animal Shelter and its owner has been charged.
Loudonville Police Chief Kevin Taylor said officers broke a car window at Mohican Adventures to save Dakota, an 11-year-old Siberian husky mix.
"The dog would have died in the car," Chief Taylor said. "Inside the vehicle gets 15 to 20 degrees hotter even with the windows cracked and my advice is not to leave dogs unattended."
The owner, 33-year-old Heather Guegold, has been charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty. As of Wednesday afternoon, Guegold still had not picked up her dog from the shelter. Guegold could not be reached for comment.
Police said Guegold told an officer someone was supposed to retrieve Dakota while she went canoeing.
Ashland County Dog Warden Tom Kosht said huskies are especially prone to overheating.
“Siberian huskies have a heavy coat, have a dense undercoat," Kosht said. "That’s how they can handle cold weather and in a hot car, air doesn’t circulate. They can’t breath right.”
Brent Thompson, a volunteer at the shelter, said there was no excuse for leaving the dog in the car that long.
“Same as leaving a baby in the car, or a young child," Thompson said, "Or your elder mother or mother-in-law. Why would you leave them in a hot car? You know, that’s just dumb.”
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